Thu Jan 21, 2016, 11:00 AM

hedgehog (36,286 posts)

Am I being a grammar Nazi?

I have no problem with people using hopefully when they mean to say I/we hope that....

I'm glad to use them/they instead of he/him or he or she/him or her.
But

to me " less" is to be used for things measured in bulk - use less flour next time.

"Fewer" is for things that can be numbered - use fewer cups of flour next time.

More people were there last night, fewer people there tonight.

More confetti on the floor last night, less the night before.

59 replies	Author	Time	Post
Am I being a grammar Nazi? (Original post)	hedgehog	Jan 2016	OP
Me and my wife can't stand bad grammar (nt)	Nye Bevan	Jan 2016	#1
I see what you did there.	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#2
:) Fewer/less grate on me too, but	Hortensis	Jan 2016	#33
I never could stand folks who don't talk good.	lpbk2713	Jan 2016	#3
"...don't talk no good". Their, I fixed it four you.	ret5hd	Jan 2016	#12
I new it didn't look write.	lpbk2713	Jan 2016	#50
It is a fact of the English language that we have "count" nouns and "non-count" nouns.	Nitram	Jan 2016	#4
Or "a few" to mark significance	Hortensis	Jan 2016	#40
Only to those who	enlightenment	Jan 2016	#5
That "less/fewer" shit bothers the fuck out of me, too.	Gidney N Cloyd	Jan 2016	#6
And then there are those who post subject lines that don't make sense and never proofread.	randome	Jan 2016	#7
How do you stand on loser/looser?	Kingofalldems	Jan 2016	#8
Spell check will be the death of English as we know it!	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#10
Only a loser doesn't know the difference.	WinkyDink	Jan 2016	#23
It annoys me too, but I don't never say anything. n/t	Lil Missy	Jan 2016	#9
Although I use both properly, the other usages	MineralMan	Jan 2016	#11
Agree, but you're fighting an uphill battle	JustABozoOnThisBus	Jan 2016	#13
Arrrrgh!	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#14
Sometimes just getting something typed is a miracle on an IPhone.	yeoman6987	Jan 2016	#15
iPhone	elljay	Jan 2016	#45
Yep!	yeoman6987	Jan 2016	#46
I've always thought that correction of grammar is a benefit given to us.	LanternWaste	Jan 2016	#16
english	enid602	Jan 2016	#17
Must the term "Nazi" be used in this context?	oberliner	Jan 2016	#18
I agree with you, but slang is slang.	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#20
"Indian giver" used to be a common slang term	oberliner	Jan 2016	#25
I think retiring words from slang requires a general consensus -	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#29
Well now that would be offensive to me. There's nothing correct about guttural language. nt	Fla Dem	Jan 2016	#52
What if the OP edited speeches for Hitler?	Android3.14	Jan 2016	#31
Aw, are we being mean to the poor helpless nazis?	Iggo	Jan 2016	#38
No - it minimizes what the Nazis really were	oberliner	Jan 2016	#53
I did nazi that one coming	pinboy3niner	Jan 2016	#39
Now that was clever	oberliner	Jan 2016	#54
I could not care less, nor give fewer shits. n/t	lumberjack_jeff	Jan 2016	#19
Congratulations on getting that phrase correct - most people leave	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#21
You could have put that worse.	elias49	Jan 2016	#24
Nein! As a former English teacher, I think mushy grammar is a plot by math majors! Haha!	WinkyDink	Jan 2016	#22
As a former engineer, I find this confusion very painful because it is	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#26
So many things in life are. Heh.	WinkyDink	Jan 2016	#27
Non-count nouns are usually counted based on weight or volume.	Nitram	Jan 2016	#43
As a former engineer, one of my pet peeves is "400% less calories!"	lumberjack_jeff	Jan 2016	#44
Maybe. But I'm glad you are. People should strive for better communication skills and	Cleita	Jan 2016	#28
Do you understand what they're trying to say, these people whose grammar bothers you so much?	tularetom	Jan 2016	#30
Passive voice	Android3.14	Jan 2016	#32
One may note more or fewer confetti	Cirque du So-What	Jan 2016	#34
Wouldn't that be "confetto"?	Igel	Jan 2016	#42
Nice post, Stannis.	Iggo	Jan 2016	#35
So I am lead to believe	pinboy3niner	Jan 2016	#36
Personally, I'm on board with the less/fewer thing	Orrex	Jan 2016	#37
Jag blir less.	Quantess	Jan 2016	#41
Yes.	KentuckyWoman	Jan 2016	#47
the less you worry about that	hfojvt	Jan 2016	#48
No. My mother taught English and that was one of her pet peeves.	CharlotteVale	Jan 2016	#49
I guess it depends	HassleCat	Jan 2016	#51
No	Glorfindel	Jan 2016	#55
Similarly	mac56	Jan 2016	#56
I am very picky about correct usage.	SheilaT	Jan 2016	#57
The substitution of Them/they for gender specific pronouns	hedgehog	Jan 2016	#58
Oh, that I know.	SheilaT	Jan 2016	#59

Am I being a grammar Nazi?

1. Me and my wife can't stand bad grammar (nt)

2. I see what you did there.

33. :) Fewer/less grate on me too, but

3. I never could stand folks who don't talk good.

12. "...don't talk no good". Their, I fixed it four you.

50. I new it didn't look write.

4. It is a fact of the English language that we have "count" nouns and "non-count" nouns.

40. Or "a few" to mark significance

5. Only to those who

6. That "less/fewer" shit bothers the fuck out of me, too.

7. And then there are those who post subject lines that don't make sense and never proofread.

8. How do you stand on loser/looser?

10. Spell check will be the death of English as we know it!

23. Only a loser doesn't know the difference.

9. It annoys me too, but I don't never say anything. n/t

11. Although I use both properly, the other usages

13. Agree, but you're fighting an uphill battle

14. Arrrrgh!

15. Sometimes just getting something typed is a miracle on an IPhone.

45. iPhone

46. Yep!

16. I've always thought that correction of grammar is a benefit given to us.

17. english

18. Must the term "Nazi" be used in this context?

20. I agree with you, but slang is slang.

25. "Indian giver" used to be a common slang term

29. I think retiring words from slang requires a general consensus -

52. Well now that would be offensive to me. There's nothing correct about guttural language. nt

31. What if the OP edited speeches for Hitler?

38. Aw, are we being mean to the poor helpless nazis?

53. No - it minimizes what the Nazis really were

39. I did nazi that one coming

54. Now that was clever

19. I could not care less, nor give fewer shits. n/t

21. Congratulations on getting that phrase correct - most people leave

24. You could have put that worse.

22. Nein! As a former English teacher, I think mushy grammar is a plot by math majors! Haha!

26. As a former engineer, I find this confusion very painful because it is

27. So many things in life are. Heh.

43. Non-count nouns are usually counted based on weight or volume.

44. As a former engineer, one of my pet peeves is "400% less calories!"

28. Maybe. But I'm glad you are. People should strive for better communication skills and

30. Do you understand what they're trying to say, these people whose grammar bothers you so much?

32. Passive voice

34. One may note more or fewer confetti

42. Wouldn't that be "confetto"?

35. Nice post, Stannis.

36. So I am lead to believe

37. Personally, I'm on board with the less/fewer thing

41. Jag blir less.

47. Yes.

48. the less you worry about that

49. No. My mother taught English and that was one of her pet peeves.

51. I guess it depends

55. No

56. Similarly

57. I am very picky about correct usage.

58. The substitution of Them/they for gender specific pronouns

59. Oh, that I know.