[etni] [FWD: RE: new ETNI Poll]
- From: ask@xxxxxxxx
- To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 05:10:25 -0700
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: [etni] new ETNI Poll
From: "Linda Dayan" <lindadayan7@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Excuse me, but shouldn't it be "fewer hours" and not "less hours"?
Linda
(referring to the following sentence in the new ETNI poll)
> a- Is it better to start earlier, less hours per year?
*ETNI response - We are putting this point up to discussion.
Here is what the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary says about the
subject:
3 a : of reduced size, extent, or degree
b : more limited in quantity <in less time>
usage:
The traditional view is that less applies to matters of degree,
value, or amount and modifies collective nouns, mass nouns, or
nouns denoting an abstract whole while fewer applies to matters
of number and modifies plural nouns. Less has been used to modify
plural nouns since the days of King Alfred and the usage, though
roundly decried, appears to be increasing. Less is more likely than
fewer to modify plural nouns when distances, sums of money, and
a few fixed phrases are involved <less than 100 miles> <an investment
of less than $2000> <in 25 words or less> and as likely as fewer to
modify periods of time <in less (or fewer) than four hours>.
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