littled.net

I was reading one of those interesting coffee-table books the other day about getting out in the open. You know the ones, generally very interesting and full of useful information about camping and other bucolic activity but occasionally slightly irritating and given to using phrases like “pagan vibe”.

Anyway, this book, mentioning no names of course, featured the word “less” in a context in which “fewer” should have been used. This annoyed me. After all, if I’m to pay £15 for a book, even if it’s not a work of great literary merit, I still expect the author to get his grammar right or the editors to pick up on it and correct it.

There’s a useful tutorial on Bristol University’s website for anyone in any doubt about the use of “less and fewer”. Basically, if you can count the object you use “fewer”; otherwise use “less”. In summary:

• I have less inclination these days. “Inclination” cannot be separated into distinct parts and counted
• I wish there were fewer cars on the roads: “Cars” can be separated into distinct units and be counted

Turning that around:

• I have fewer inclinations in that direction these days: The “inclinations” can be separated and counted
• I wish there were less traffic on the roads: “Traffic” in this sense cannot be separated and counted (well, it can as a concept, but not grammatically in this context)