Mathematically, however, we always say "three is less than five"; the symbol "<" is called "less than". Interesting that when we actually compare numbers we use the amount word, not the number word.
> Also, I'm so sorry about this, but I'm about to ramp up into schoolmaster > mode. I do this every now and then, and I *know* it's obnoxious. I'm fully > aware that *most* of you are smarter and better educated than I am and just > as capable and accomplished in your own fields as I am in mine. But the > thing is, see, I'm an editor, and in my field we work with words, and, well, > certain things that may be invisible to you are like fingernails on a > blackboard to me. > > So here goes, I'm lettin' this rip. Please ignore me at will. > > LESS is an amount or volume word. FEWER is a number word. > > You can have less water in a bucket, less brains in your head, and you could > care less. But you have FEWER elements in a lens, ten items or FEWER in the > Express Lane at the supermarket, FEWER than 50 ways to leave your lover. > > Similarly, OVER is a position word. A bridge can be over a brook, a joke can > go right over your head, but it hasn't been OVER a hundred years since the > Tessar was invented; it's been MORE THAN a hundred years since then. > > Nodoby ever get these things right (even network news anchors used "over" > incorrectly), but it drives me crazy anyway. > > You may return to your regular programming...sorry again. (Most of the time, > I'm really getting pretty good at holding my tongue.) > > --Mike > Steven Desjardins Department of Chemistry Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 24450 (540) 458-8873 FAX: (540) 458-8878 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
