Nov 12, 2020 12:35 PM
anlyin
99781
4680
59
user1847294837
I hate these word crimes!
fartharder
#Wordcrimes
BallerinaDalekForeverSpinningAndSpinningItsTragicYouMofos
Talking bout WORD CRIMES!
dropbear128
drduffer
Thank you Mr. Yankovic.
BloodofHeroes
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/fewer-vs-less
whereareyoufrom
The only acceptable grammar Nazi
keillrandor
At least it's not 15 items or Fuhrer...
ThisSiteUsedtobeCool
David Foster Wallace would be proud.
RaxianTheta
"and if you finished 2nd grade, I hope you can tell if you're doing good or doing well."
shmoogeeoogee
Word crimes!
DontDoWhatDonaldDontDoes
I was not aware of this distinction... thanks Weird
SleepyKitten
Everybody shut up!
YouMealyMouthedCrotchPheasant
I absolutely support this. Along with correcting anyone describing something as either "almost unique" or "more unique". Jimmies rustled.
NicoNikNik
15 items or else!
DonalDangerMaher
r/mildlyvandalised
Jordinatinglybeautiful
In the UK an English teacher wrote to M&S, a famous reatailer, to correct them on this. They changed it accordingly.
pizzapartyhard
My local supermarket says Fewer
peachesforme
mine says fewer but you can see the small old lines from where it used to say less than.
pockpock
Can someone explain this to my non native friend? "fewer" is for countable "less" is for uncountable things e.g. fewer items, less milk?
Grizzlious
v
spunnottossed
Inconsistency, more than he can handle, lord knows, he’s a grammar vandal
throwawayacct1951
Tierney11290
My lord?
cenfou2tout
nonagon3x3
my favorite scene from GoT! ?
SecondSince
And started out as one of my favorites. Later on, not so much...
ahmuisemhacadeo
Constantly have to remind my students of this. Items are countable lads, so it's fewer. There's even a clue; 15.
theyar
But you could also say something like, "less than 15 items' worth of groceries," which is is awkward but at least the 'less' is correct.
TheCacklingJackal
EvilCatCreations
Now it's stuck in my head. Everybody shut up!
BadLuck2277
FatBastardVegetarian
Like I could care less
Tidusdc
That means you do care,
AllShallBowToEmrakul
At least a little
dubi544
Ah technically correct, the best kind of correct
MachineInterface
Note: half the grammar "mistakes" people complain about were invented by 18th century pedants and were perfectly acceptable before then.
Dispeptique
Plus languages evolve anyway.
transference
And less/fewer is one of them. The meaning is perfectly clear because human brains are better at resolving ambiguity than machines are.
So there’s no need to be rigorous about a semantic distinction between the two words.
Jaxotea
The Head Etymologist at the OED debunked it. There is 1 book that stated it, from a non linguist, but 1 up manship made it a thing.
vnqx
Waʃn't ever a rule. It was a preference of ʃome old pretentious aʃshole who ʃtill uʃed the long s
WayneTrousers
This makes the voice in my head happy
Alittledistantshiningstar
When someone says “I ain’t doing nothin” Grrrrr, it’s “anything”
bikergeek6249
Double (and more) negatives are acceptable in many languages as a means of emphasis.
sj2890
That's how it is in Spanish: "No hago nada."
KingRememberedInTime1
I anything doing nothin?
Haha, might as well
ArenaChess
Also, "ain't" is an informal contraction.
Just about as informal as it gets
Carnwenhau
How long do people have to use a word before it's good enough for you? Ain't was used in Jane Austen novels, so its been around for a minute
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is also full of grammatical errors. It's a literary masterpiece. Doesn't change the fact it's informal.
Not as bad as normalizing the word: “irregardless”, f@ck it, why even have the word ‘regardless?’
WisconsinHome
It’s so bizarre that irregardless is in the dictionary now!
I am disappointed. Then again maybe they both mean the same thing but say something about the person saying it?
Could be thanks for sharing in my disappointment :)
HollowmanZU
Irregardless is the opposite of irregardmore, which is not the same as regardadditional or regardextra. Wait, what were we talking about?
I love you. This made me laugh.
I love you too, random internet stranger person.
Yay!
amp99
Shut up; we don't need no education!
Tarelka
Yes you do, you just used a double negative!
I ain't never done that.
IDNMAN21
We don't need no thought control
Teacher leave those kids alone
ImakeWine
Weird Al is the best!
Weird Al is a bit notorious for correcting grammar that doesn't actually need correcting. Fewer is preferred here but it isn't a 1/?
complete sentence, so conceivably it could also be "less." 2/2
dandanthedrywallman
Nobody is putting the link to his grammar song?!? https://youtu.be/8Gv0H-vPoDc
cmoe5
Except when he's making fun of hot coffee and helps to limit your rights...
InfOracle
I believe that's @sarah there.
mrbellek
Oh well fuck her for shadow banning Mr Pucket then
mblizzle
Wait, I must have missed a day on here. What happened?
Mr P was a mod shortly but he got so much abuse, imgur silently fired him and forbade him from taking about it here. He has a Twitter tho.
I'm sad about all of those things
devdot4
That's not Al
tinydog
How do you know?
EdibleStupidity
It's serah
asifwewouldbesomeonebetter
Weird Artificial Intelligence
kalamazandy
Only that he isn’t correct in changing it. There are multiple rules when it comes to quantities and numbers.
KoalaOnTheJuice
It's deliberate. Psychological association of "less"=better value (less $); "fewer"=worse value (fewer items). It's subtle, but it's there.
lurksinthecomments
Food4Fewer
PeculiarPeanutButter
No.
ItsGizmo
Terministic screens at work
MrZev
Like cheap vs inexpensive.
vampirelibrarian
Or it's just bad grammar
Irreal
Or just the natural way of language evolution.
dartech2461
Apparently the less vs fewer distinction is actually a pretty new thing in English, and technically both are correct
Jbelkin
Plus fewer letters, cheaper ... (less dollars)
Interesting thanks I read a book on the history of grocery shopping- it was interesting
oldcatriver
Remember the title?
No, would have included it if I did. Searched but didn’t find it. Sorry :)
All good, if i find it, I'll share it back.
Sounds like a plan :)
likehelly
how does this relate to a checkout lane though
u77171
It doesn’t. Somebody just took a psychology class.
HereForTheSurpriseMeat
Would you be more inclined to buy a candy bar if it was in an aisle or right at a cashier while you’re waiting your turn?
polarpurple
Do you have something to say about my shopping cart full of candy bars, or are you just gonna be passive aggressive like that?
what does that have to do with a checkout lane saying 15 items less or fewer
I’m just saying that it goes with the social engineering of word choice/food placement
Badprenup
It could, but you still need to actually prove that "less/fewer" is how it is for that reason
smartino
Supermarkets are the hotspots of social engineering
NlGHTW0LF
Produce section at the entrance of the store so people walking in thinking "this is a fresh store. Everything here is fresh..I will do well"
Not to mention the dozens of different types of lamps illuminating produce in the most flattering way
Garbageperson
Fucking milk in the back and eggs across the store from bread
bdgood132
Tbf, you kinda want the transfer from delivery to storage of temperature controlled products to be as short as possible
Fucking 'highest prices on eye level' policy
GhostofCain
And the chocolate last when you are absolutely defenseless to its tasty, tasty allure.
samwisewasthehero
Going through produce to get to other food, otherwise produce sales plummet. In my store, we had a path to skip produce; sales dropped 40%
Sales of produce dropped 40%?
Yup. Owner tracked sales for 3 months, then came in and walled off the produce bypass aisle out of no where. Then told us why at a meeting
JustAnotherRandomCommenter
i'm convinced this is why the search algorithms on online grocery shopping are so terrible - they're trying to replicate the walking round
the store aimlessly looking for something thats been moved, and buying other stuff you happen to see on the way.
Good point
TM06User
Nothing I hate more then bad grammer. Its the worstest.
eggmuffin
One thing is worse. Treating grammar and spelling as the same thing.
Ocek
Worsteshirst sauce.
perkocetts
*thee
TheyDontKnowAndYouCantTellEm
When I was a noob writer, I despised it. Wrote great stories with bad grammar. Got paid. Now I write pretty. Love grammar.
NightingGale6
It's always funner to mess with grammar
IdownVotePoliticalPosts
"less good"
SealModel
I agree white youre
OneGreatFap
Your so right.
Karna524365
Yes, yes it is...it’s the worst.
ICheckSpellingAndSuch
*eye twitches*
RalphH
Bestest comment!
ObscureReferencing
Yours was worstester though
Donku83
Worcestershire*
FuzzyX
U WOT?
Snoopy101x
76breakbeats
Without your good grammar, the whole darn shooting match could go arse over tea kettle.
deezoovo
Hate theses!
WhenIcommentyouknowImtakingadump
The most worst
INeverWaitForIt
it's pronounced worcestershire.
randomlettrs
I concuss!
SenorReeda
YesSorryIAmBack
I hate you all!
savanik
Jiquerez
Than
fudgycurmudgeon
I wish I knew if you purposely put “then” instead of “than” as part of your joke.
I also hate irony.
FriendlyNeighborhoodGrammarPerson
pdp1
isaidsomethingcool
Everyone should do more gooder
waltjrimmer
This's what make the whole thing more funnier to I. Whom is you what make a good jokes?
blankiDriver
*Wurstest
TheyHaveThePlantButWeHaveThePower
Me fail English? That's unpossible.
wizzid
BedBugDude
Ha, unlike you I speak English good... I meant gooder
MoreButterForMyHam
You TALK english good...
YeahWhateverStuffThangs
Your English is goodn't
Dunothar
I speak english like the cheese on my pizza, gouda ??
DwayneTheCrackJohnson
More bestest
ThatShiftyMonkey
Goodly
Cant think of anything worser
delaney731
I could care worse of bad grammar
otherJeffsarefalseJeffs
I can think of a few things worsererer, but not many
ChilySchote
Worcester sauce maybe
StubaSceve
*more worser
UnpinionedPoplars
Badder grammar.
Soultrain420
How about Lea & Perrins?
MrShpoople
Oh I can think of some worsted things
GentleMartini
The Dutch?
Y tho?
ovastanda
And their ovens
SuicidalBallsack
Naw, holland
Skullcleaver
Tsja, ik geef je geen ongelijk.... XD
peoplecalltheromanstheygothehouse
Terrible punctuation its so infuriating we cant work out what is being said easily
beaverface
I agree the rambling sentences drive me nuts how am I supposed to understand what is being said it’s annoying please use punctuation
MstrES
.-- .... .- - ..--..
hdcompatible
I pacifically agree with you’re point.
Punctuation is the difference between helping you uncle, Jack, off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
bbrown1012
Had to research but yes what horrible use of the English language! My granddaughter asked questions about words daily. Google saves me.
EricPisch
Language is fluid it changes constantly otherwise we would all talk like what Shakespeare did
qwiggles
And that guy was making up words all over the place
jacblake
Public Ed in US...ain’t it grand?
EmmaReiki
God the longer I looked, the worse it got.
Fl0zilla
I'm gonna use this instead of replying, "*you're"
thepatioheater
Wherever you go there you are. That took me too long to decipher
I also like, "Know where you're going before you get there."
CrazyCatLad
T,IHI
AlliNWhenPlaying
I am screaming through my eyes.
BDSMThroatHugs
Wear Eva u go their your to.
Think I had a stroke
trapdoorogre
Oh, that hurt. It hurt and my smile grow bigger for every word.
Rips4w
Holy shit that's bad.
IDontKnowTHIRDBASE
So bad its gud
tReasonoustRump
Reads like a President tweet
pareidoliaperson
President's tweet or Presidential tweet*
Chuckle
Cattwalking
It may've been one?
*mayo been one
user1847294837
I hate these word crimes!
fartharder
#Wordcrimes
BallerinaDalekForeverSpinningAndSpinningItsTragicYouMofos
Talking bout WORD CRIMES!
dropbear128
drduffer
Thank you Mr. Yankovic.
BloodofHeroes
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/fewer-vs-less
whereareyoufrom
The only acceptable grammar Nazi
keillrandor
At least it's not 15 items or Fuhrer...
ThisSiteUsedtobeCool
David Foster Wallace would be proud.
RaxianTheta
"and if you finished 2nd grade, I hope you can tell if you're doing good or doing well."
shmoogeeoogee
Word crimes!
DontDoWhatDonaldDontDoes
I was not aware of this distinction... thanks Weird
SleepyKitten
Everybody shut up!
YouMealyMouthedCrotchPheasant
I absolutely support this. Along with correcting anyone describing something as either "almost unique" or "more unique". Jimmies rustled.
NicoNikNik
15 items or else!
DonalDangerMaher
r/mildlyvandalised
Jordinatinglybeautiful
In the UK an English teacher wrote to M&S, a famous reatailer, to correct them on this. They changed it accordingly.
pizzapartyhard
My local supermarket says Fewer
peachesforme
mine says fewer but you can see the small old lines from where it used to say less than.
pockpock
Can someone explain this to my non native friend? "fewer" is for countable "less" is for uncountable things e.g. fewer items, less milk?
Grizzlious
spunnottossed
Inconsistency, more than he can handle, lord knows, he’s a grammar vandal
throwawayacct1951
Tierney11290
My lord?
cenfou2tout
nonagon3x3
my favorite scene from GoT! ?
SecondSince
And started out as one of my favorites. Later on, not so much...
ahmuisemhacadeo
Constantly have to remind my students of this. Items are countable lads, so it's fewer. There's even a clue; 15.
theyar
But you could also say something like, "less than 15 items' worth of groceries," which is is awkward but at least the 'less' is correct.
TheCacklingJackal
I hate these word crimes!
EvilCatCreations
Now it's stuck in my head. Everybody shut up!
BadLuck2277
FatBastardVegetarian
Like I could care less
Tidusdc
That means you do care,
AllShallBowToEmrakul
At least a little
dubi544
Ah technically correct, the best kind of correct
MachineInterface
Note: half the grammar "mistakes" people complain about were invented by 18th century pedants and were perfectly acceptable before then.
Dispeptique
Plus languages evolve anyway.
transference
And less/fewer is one of them. The meaning is perfectly clear because human brains are better at resolving ambiguity than machines are.
transference
So there’s no need to be rigorous about a semantic distinction between the two words.
Jaxotea
The Head Etymologist at the OED debunked it. There is 1 book that stated it, from a non linguist, but 1 up manship made it a thing.
vnqx
Waʃn't ever a rule. It was a preference of ʃome old pretentious aʃshole who ʃtill uʃed the long s
WayneTrousers
This makes the voice in my head happy
Alittledistantshiningstar
When someone says “I ain’t doing nothin” Grrrrr, it’s “anything”
bikergeek6249
Double (and more) negatives are acceptable in many languages as a means of emphasis.
sj2890
That's how it is in Spanish: "No hago nada."
KingRememberedInTime1
I anything doing nothin?
Alittledistantshiningstar
Haha, might as well
ArenaChess
Also, "ain't" is an informal contraction.
Alittledistantshiningstar
Just about as informal as it gets
Carnwenhau
How long do people have to use a word before it's good enough for you? Ain't was used in Jane Austen novels, so its been around for a minute
ArenaChess
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is also full of grammatical errors. It's a literary masterpiece. Doesn't change the fact it's informal.
whereareyoufrom
Not as bad as normalizing the word: “irregardless”, f@ck it, why even have the word ‘regardless?’
WisconsinHome
It’s so bizarre that irregardless is in the dictionary now!
whereareyoufrom
I am disappointed. Then again maybe they both mean the same thing but say something about the person saying it?
WisconsinHome
Could be thanks for sharing in my disappointment :)
HollowmanZU
Irregardless is the opposite of irregardmore, which is not the same as regardadditional or regardextra. Wait, what were we talking about?
whereareyoufrom
I love you. This made me laugh.
HollowmanZU
I love you too, random internet stranger person.
whereareyoufrom
Yay!
amp99
Shut up; we don't need no education!
Tarelka
Yes you do, you just used a double negative!
amp99
I ain't never done that.
IDNMAN21
We don't need no thought control
WisconsinHome
Teacher leave those kids alone
ImakeWine
Weird Al is the best!
theyar
Weird Al is a bit notorious for correcting grammar that doesn't actually need correcting. Fewer is preferred here but it isn't a 1/?
theyar
complete sentence, so conceivably it could also be "less." 2/2
dandanthedrywallman
Nobody is putting the link to his grammar song?!? https://youtu.be/8Gv0H-vPoDc
cmoe5
Except when he's making fun of hot coffee and helps to limit your rights...
InfOracle
I believe that's @sarah there.
mrbellek
Oh well fuck her for shadow banning Mr Pucket then
mblizzle
Wait, I must have missed a day on here. What happened?
mrbellek
Mr P was a mod shortly but he got so much abuse, imgur silently fired him and forbade him from taking about it here. He has a Twitter tho.
mblizzle
I'm sad about all of those things
devdot4
That's not Al
tinydog
How do you know?
EdibleStupidity
It's serah
asifwewouldbesomeonebetter
Weird Artificial Intelligence
kalamazandy
Only that he isn’t correct in changing it. There are multiple rules when it comes to quantities and numbers.
KoalaOnTheJuice
It's deliberate. Psychological association of "less"=better value (less $); "fewer"=worse value (fewer items). It's subtle, but it's there.
lurksinthecomments
Food4Fewer
PeculiarPeanutButter
theyar
No.
ItsGizmo
Terministic screens at work
MrZev
Like cheap vs inexpensive.
vampirelibrarian
Or it's just bad grammar
Irreal
Or just the natural way of language evolution.
dartech2461
Apparently the less vs fewer distinction is actually a pretty new thing in English, and technically both are correct
Jbelkin
Plus fewer letters, cheaper ... (less dollars)
WisconsinHome
Interesting thanks I read a book on the history of grocery shopping- it was interesting
oldcatriver
Remember the title?
WisconsinHome
No, would have included it if I did. Searched but didn’t find it. Sorry :)
oldcatriver
All good, if i find it, I'll share it back.
WisconsinHome
Sounds like a plan :)
likehelly
how does this relate to a checkout lane though
u77171
It doesn’t. Somebody just took a psychology class.
HereForTheSurpriseMeat
Would you be more inclined to buy a candy bar if it was in an aisle or right at a cashier while you’re waiting your turn?
polarpurple
Do you have something to say about my shopping cart full of candy bars, or are you just gonna be passive aggressive like that?
likehelly
what does that have to do with a checkout lane saying 15 items less or fewer
HereForTheSurpriseMeat
I’m just saying that it goes with the social engineering of word choice/food placement
Badprenup
It could, but you still need to actually prove that "less/fewer" is how it is for that reason
smartino
Supermarkets are the hotspots of social engineering
NlGHTW0LF
Produce section at the entrance of the store so people walking in thinking "this is a fresh store. Everything here is fresh..I will do well"
smartino
Not to mention the dozens of different types of lamps illuminating produce in the most flattering way
Garbageperson
Fucking milk in the back and eggs across the store from bread
bdgood132
Tbf, you kinda want the transfer from delivery to storage of temperature controlled products to be as short as possible
smartino
Fucking 'highest prices on eye level' policy
GhostofCain
And the chocolate last when you are absolutely defenseless to its tasty, tasty allure.
samwisewasthehero
Going through produce to get to other food, otherwise produce sales plummet. In my store, we had a path to skip produce; sales dropped 40%
WisconsinHome
Sales of produce dropped 40%?
samwisewasthehero
Yup. Owner tracked sales for 3 months, then came in and walled off the produce bypass aisle out of no where. Then told us why at a meeting
JustAnotherRandomCommenter
i'm convinced this is why the search algorithms on online grocery shopping are so terrible - they're trying to replicate the walking round
JustAnotherRandomCommenter
the store aimlessly looking for something thats been moved, and buying other stuff you happen to see on the way.
WisconsinHome
Good point
TM06User
Nothing I hate more then bad grammer. Its the worstest.
eggmuffin
One thing is worse. Treating grammar and spelling as the same thing.
Ocek
Worsteshirst sauce.
perkocetts
*thee
TheyDontKnowAndYouCantTellEm
When I was a noob writer, I despised it. Wrote great stories with bad grammar. Got paid. Now I write pretty. Love grammar.
NightingGale6
It's always funner to mess with grammar
IdownVotePoliticalPosts
"less good"
SealModel
I agree white youre
OneGreatFap
Your so right.
Karna524365
Yes, yes it is...it’s the worst.
ICheckSpellingAndSuch
*eye twitches*
RalphH
Bestest comment!
ObscureReferencing
Yours was worstester though
Donku83
Worcestershire*
FuzzyX
U WOT?
Snoopy101x
76breakbeats
Without your good grammar, the whole darn shooting match could go arse over tea kettle.
deezoovo
Hate theses!
WhenIcommentyouknowImtakingadump
The most worst
INeverWaitForIt
it's pronounced worcestershire.
randomlettrs
I concuss!
SenorReeda
YesSorryIAmBack
I hate you all!
savanik
Jiquerez
Than
TM06User
fudgycurmudgeon
I wish I knew if you purposely put “then” instead of “than” as part of your joke.
TM06User
I also hate irony.
FriendlyNeighborhoodGrammarPerson
pdp1
isaidsomethingcool
Everyone should do more gooder
waltjrimmer
This's what make the whole thing more funnier to I. Whom is you what make a good jokes?
blankiDriver
*Wurstest
TheyHaveThePlantButWeHaveThePower
Me fail English? That's unpossible.
wizzid
BedBugDude
Ha, unlike you I speak English good... I meant gooder
MoreButterForMyHam
You TALK english good...
YeahWhateverStuffThangs
Your English is goodn't
Dunothar
I speak english like the cheese on my pizza, gouda ??
DwayneTheCrackJohnson
More bestest
ThatShiftyMonkey
Goodly
Jordinatinglybeautiful
Cant think of anything worser
delaney731
I could care worse of bad grammar
otherJeffsarefalseJeffs
I can think of a few things worsererer, but not many
ChilySchote
Worcester sauce maybe
StubaSceve
*more worser
UnpinionedPoplars
Badder grammar.
Soultrain420
How about Lea & Perrins?
MrShpoople
Oh I can think of some worsted things
GentleMartini
The Dutch?
TheyHaveThePlantButWeHaveThePower
Y tho?
ovastanda
And their ovens
SuicidalBallsack
Naw, holland
Skullcleaver
Tsja, ik geef je geen ongelijk.... XD
peoplecalltheromanstheygothehouse
Terrible punctuation its so infuriating we cant work out what is being said easily
beaverface
I agree the rambling sentences drive me nuts how am I supposed to understand what is being said it’s annoying please use punctuation
MstrES
.-- .... .- - ..--..
hdcompatible
I pacifically agree with you’re point.
TM06User
Punctuation is the difference between helping you uncle, Jack, off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
bbrown1012
Had to research but yes what horrible use of the English language! My granddaughter asked questions about words daily. Google saves me.
EricPisch
Language is fluid it changes constantly otherwise we would all talk like what Shakespeare did
qwiggles
And that guy was making up words all over the place
jacblake
Karna524365
Public Ed in US...ain’t it grand?
EmmaReiki
God the longer I looked, the worse it got.
Fl0zilla
I'm gonna use this instead of replying, "*you're"
thepatioheater
Wherever you go there you are. That took me too long to decipher
jacblake
I also like, "Know where you're going before you get there."
CrazyCatLad
T,IHI
AlliNWhenPlaying
I am screaming through my eyes.
BDSMThroatHugs
Wear Eva u go their your to.
KingRememberedInTime1
Think I had a stroke
trapdoorogre
Oh, that hurt. It hurt and my smile grow bigger for every word.
Rips4w
Holy shit that's bad.
IDontKnowTHIRDBASE
So bad its gud
tReasonoustRump
Reads like a President tweet
pareidoliaperson
President's tweet or Presidential tweet*
WisconsinHome
Chuckle
Cattwalking
It may've been one?
tReasonoustRump
*mayo been one