Oh FFS!

The PC term is 'Slant'. HTH.

 

Here, have a Chambers:
discrete
adjective: separate; discontinuous; consisting of distinct parts;
referring to distinct objects; abstract (opposite to concrete).

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

<BCB falls off chair>

 

Verdigris wrote

Not me, I went a grammar[1] school didn't I and I am making no claims
about understanding anything.



[1] Actually I went to a Technical[1] School and only dropped down to a
Grammar/Tech when we moved to Sunny Essex.

[1] Cray Valley Technical High School For Boys, as it was then

 

Care to explain why? Oh - and if we are pointing fingers and throwing
sticks I assume that you are always utterly logical?

You really have a bee in your bonnet about this don't you? Hint - there
are multiple definitions of the word 'right'.
According to the rules of grammar using less instead of fewer is
incorrect. According to the rules of everyday speech it is correct.
Which one of those is 'right'?

Wrong. English is a suficiently flexible language that allows all sorts
of variations to be understandable. Just because they are
understandable doesn't make them 'right' - it makes them
understandable. There is a difference.

In programming. In finance. In a greengrocers shop. (OK - so the last
one it largely spurious becuase it's a social context where
communications rules are flexible).

Phil

 

What a superfluity of naughtiness!

Phil

 

Or East Barnet Comprehensive...

Phil

 

Much obliged

 

Notwithstanding the evolving nature of language, there is a
natural tendency to defer to accepted norms.

Persuasion requires argument and authority, if the language used
is peppered with glaring, grammatical mistakes,
then that authority tends to get diluted, and consequently the
argument.

Witness the way ukrm maintains its interest, vigorously, in the
topic. Bad grammar and spelling elicit mention of school holidays
etc.

Furthermore, some posters attract a certain esteem, and their
contributions are given respect on account of their precision in
knowledge and delivery.

Not really part of the 'less' and 'fewer' argument, but I had a
few minutes spare.

I'll polish my helmet.

 

Not universally so. No-one knows more about the the art and culture
of dogging and less about punctuation, grammar and coherent writing
than S.T

 

Since "less" is also used as an adverb ("less successful"), "fewer"
helps to distinguish "fewer successful professionals" (fewer
professionals who are successful) from "less successful
professionals" (professionals who are less successful).

http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxlessvs.html

 

The whole "me" rather than "I" thing still winds me up though.

But as you said, it doesn't change the meaning, just irritates some
people

 

I'm shocked I tell you! Shocked! Usenet and logical used in the same
sentence

"I before E except after C"? Sounds pretty prescriptive to me..

"We have fewer sales generating less money" would look pretty stupid
written as "we have less sales generating fewer money"..

Phil

 

Champ wrote

The only correct use of English is when you make you point and are
understood. All the rest is just bollox for cunts.

 

And speaking slowly, and loudly, for the benefit of Johnny Foreigner.
That's okay, too.

 

<Shameful confession>

That was the first example I could think of

Ah - so you object to things that "sound wrong" (to your ear) but
object to people objecting to things that sound wrong to them?

I agree - this has never been about 'loss of meaning' (most languages -
and particularly English - are sufficiently flexible to allow meaning
to be propagated even when the carrier medium is garbled) but about
whether something is 'right'. The two are not necessarily related.

Tapaidh leibh a'Charley![1]

Phil.

[1] OK OK - so it's Scots Gaelic. So sue me..

 

Does it work though? As our man in the sand, you need to tell us.

 

Ben Blaney wrote

So I am given to understand but usually I prefer to let the staff handle
dealings with tradesmen.

 

Ding.

 

Y E S I T D O E S.