Originally Posted by zkzkz

Well... while I sympathise with the sentiment this isn't actually as great an example as you think. Despite what your high school teacher (and SAT training) may have taught you this use of "less" is very old and has as solid a claim to being grammatical as "fewer". There are examples of the most respected authors using both words in this usage going back as far as written contemporary English. The rule that one is for count nouns and one for noncount nouns came much later and seems to have been entirely invented (well, all language is invented but in this case invented by prescriptive language style guidebooks). There is a phenomenon where when two equivalent words seem to have no distinction between them people will feel compelled to invent a rule to distinguish them because it seems like there ought to be a distinction.

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

From the Oxford Dictionary of English

Usage

In standard English less should only be used with uncountable things (less money, less time). With countable things it is incorrect to use less (less people and less words); strictly speaking, correct use is fewer people and fewer words.

Originally Posted by PHL

Complementary Upgrade is complementing you for giving AA business. When a casino 'comps' a room or meal, that complements the recipient's excessive gambling losses to make them feel like they're getting a good deal. When a hotel offers a complementary shuttle, they are also complementing you for giving them business.

Originally Posted by IggySD

I find the use of the word “deplane” far more offensive. If you don’t “plane” when you’re boarding you sure as hell aren’t “deplaning” when you disembark.

Originally Posted by enviroian

canceled or cancelled

Originally Posted by zkzkz

Well... while I sympathise with the sentiment this isn't actually as great an example as you think. Despite what your high school teacher (and SAT training) may have taught you this use of "less" is very old and has as solid a claim to being grammatical as "fewer". There are examples of the most respected authors using both words in this usage going back as far as written contemporary English. The rule that one is for count nouns and one for noncount nouns came much later and seems to have been entirely invented (well, all language is invented but in this case invented by prescriptive language style guidebooks). There is a phenomenon where when two equivalent words seem to have no distinction between them people will feel compelled to invent a rule to distinguish them because it seems like there ought to be a distinction.

Originally Posted by M60_to_LGA

As long as we're complaining about language pet peeves, I'd like to just point out that when people use "gift" as a verb I want to scream. I don't recall ever even hearing it used this way until the early 2000s, and now it seems to have entirely replaced the word "give." I will die on this hill.

Originally Posted by Giggleswick

​​​The first is the preferred American spelling; the second is the preferred British spelling. As already noted, both are acceptable (though not in the same document!). Ditto for travel, level, etc., and forms of similar verbs. I'm American but I prefer the British spelling.

This pattern isn't followed for verbs when the stress falls on the final syllable, such as concealed.
Pedantic mode off.

Originally Posted by Aliquot

Obviously "fewer money" isn't right. But money is countable. There are some gray areas, but "12 items or less" isn't one of them.

Originally Posted by pagotto

Same here...but the email today had the different, incorrectly spelled header. See below

Originally Posted by Giggleswick

​​​The first is the preferred American spelling; the second is the preferred British spelling. As already noted, both are acceptable (though not in the same document!). Ditto for travel, level, etc., and forms of similar verbs. I'm American but I prefer the British spelling.

This pattern isn't followed for verbs when the stress falls on the final syllable, such as concealed.
Pedantic mode off.

Originally Posted by M60_to_LGA

As long as we're complaining about language pet peeves, I'd like to just point out that when people use "gift" as a verb I want to scream. I don't recall ever even hearing it used this way until the early 2000s, and now it seems to have entirely replaced the word "give." I will die on this hill.

Originally Posted by VegasGambler

"Money" is not countable in this sense. "Dollar" is countable.

You might have 100 dollars, but not 100 moneys.

Originally Posted by tjcxx

X costs less than 100 dollars.
X costs fewer than 100 dollars.

I choose less. I believe less/fewer is a matter of style rather than rule. Fewer clearly looks awkward in some settings (see above), but less is generally acceptable in all cases.

Originally Posted by VegasGambler

"Money" is not countable in this sense. "Dollar" is countable.

You might have 100 dollars, but not 100 moneys.