tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452558.post8400453579555688248..comments2024-03-28T18:09:31.814-07:00Comments on Singular Values: Ten Items or LessRogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03474078324293158376noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452558.post-71917914032257132602014-11-15T10:11:39.435-08:002014-11-15T10:11:39.435-08:00Sometimes the store sells a 2-for-1 item, and that...Sometimes the store sells a 2-for-1 item, and that might arguably be 2 half-items. In my experience, the clerks let you apply your own reasoning to how the counting is done. But regardless, this is a grammar question, not a question about store policy, so the same logic should apply to "ten miles or less". You can definitely run 9.5 miles.Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03474078324293158376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452558.post-87358844029893757362014-11-15T08:53:58.254-08:002014-11-15T08:53:58.254-08:00But I contend that the store can never sell a half...But I contend that the store can never sell a half item. They can chop something into two pieces and sell a half lettuce or whatever but once the item is divided and a price ascribed it becomes an item in its own right with respect to the checkout.Woodsy42https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355671210161625647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452558.post-70358926575314058932014-11-12T23:20:32.361-08:002014-11-12T23:20:32.361-08:00Yes, that is a simple distinction, but it does not...Yes, that is a simple distinction, but it does not match common usage, and does not seem to be a useful distinction.<br /><br />You would make "ten items or less" a grammar error, but your argument that it is wrong depends on whether the store sells half items.Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03474078324293158376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3452558.post-10213958839883200752014-11-12T15:25:32.106-08:002014-11-12T15:25:32.106-08:00Just to be contrary:
"Ten Items or Less"...Just to be contrary:<br />"Ten Items or Less" makes sense because 9.5 items would be allowed, if the supermarket sold half items."<br /><br />But they don't sell half items - so it's wrong.<br /><br />A simple distinction is surely that where a plural of the nown is used fewer is more likely correct. <br /><br />Fewer pebbles or less aggregate - fewer aggregate would be Woodsy42https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355671210161625647noreply@blogger.com