A question of grammar for LT
ConversazioniPedants' corner
Iscriviti a LibraryThing per pubblicare un messaggio.
1krazy4katz
Dear Pedantic ones,
I have a problem.
I have noticed on some pages that have lists, such as https://www.librarything.com/zeitgeist,
that one can click "show more" at the bottom of the list in order to see more items.
However, then the problem comes:
For example, on the "Most Reviewed Books" list, if you click "show more", this phrase appears at the bottom: "show less".
The meaning is obvious, but is it more or less correct to say "show fewer"?
I appreciate your superior knowledge
Yours in eternal confusion,
k4k
Edited to correct grammar.
I have a problem.
I have noticed on some pages that have lists, such as https://www.librarything.com/zeitgeist,
that one can click "show more" at the bottom of the list in order to see more items.
However, then the problem comes:
For example, on the "Most Reviewed Books" list, if you click "show more", this phrase appears at the bottom: "show less".
The meaning is obvious, but is it more or less correct to say "show fewer"?
I appreciate your superior knowledge
Yours in eternal confusion,
k4k
Edited to correct grammar.
3thorold
>1 krazy4katz: …but is it more or less correct to say…
I love the way you slipped that little gem of troll-bait in! Are you timing it to see how long before you get a bite?
I love the way you slipped that little gem of troll-bait in! Are you timing it to see how long before you get a bite?
4krazy4katz
>3 thorold: Ah. You are the smarter one. I hadn’t noticed — at least not consciously.
5WholeHouseLibrary
My inner grammarian sheds tears.
6krazy4katz
>5 WholeHouseLibrary: Tears of confusion or…?
7Meredy
I would positively say "show less" is appropriate. This option is used for things other than lists, such as explanatory notes and paragraphs giving details. The main thing about them is that they offer additional information and not that they are enumerable lists specifically. You want to see more or less of the block of information, regardless of whether it is a list of discrete items.
I like the precision of accurate usage when it comes to "less" versus "fewer," but in many instances (such as this) I would call the use of "fewer" hypercorrection, unnecessary and unidiomatic.
I like the precision of accurate usage when it comes to "less" versus "fewer," but in many instances (such as this) I would call the use of "fewer" hypercorrection, unnecessary and unidiomatic.
8spiralsheep
>6 krazy4katz: Tears of laughter? >;-)
9krazy4katz
>8 spiralsheep: Well if I can make someone laugh, my day is complete. :-)