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Pastimes : Common Errors in (American)English -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: The Philosopher who wrote (149)6/10/1999 11:37:00 PM
From: Carolyn  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 228
 
I am very impressed! Yes, you are quite correct, that I am fighting a losing battle. Practicality must (should) always take precedence, but I can still write and speak in the style I believe is the more correct one.
You are our grammar expert and, as such, might be bombarded with questions!
Thank you, and good luck,
Carolyn



To: The Philosopher who wrote (149)6/11/1999 11:53:00 AM
From: Scott Wheeler  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 228
 
<< but neither are they made to enslave >> I agree, because how else can a language be alive and evolve (or should we say devolve, in this case)? You (or your references) did not mention that "than" is usually reserved for matters of quantity (e.g., larger than, heavier than), whilst "different from" only connotes a qualitative distinction, without saying what that distinction might be. I think the point can be made by attempting the absurdity "greater from".

Another similar gem is the ubiquitous "less" in place of "fewer" (or its absurd obverse: "There is fewer money in circulation". (I like this better than "less dollars in circulation")...;^)