MaoShan comments on What Is Signaling, Really? - Less Wrong

74 Post author: Yvain 12 July 2012 05:43PM

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Comment author: [deleted] 11 July 2012 12:07:20AM 1 point [-]

why did about 50% of readers get a mental flinch and an overpowering urge to correct me when I used “less” instead of “fewer” in the sentence above?

I didn't, and I suspect the percentage of readers who did is much smaller.

Comment author: [deleted] 11 July 2012 12:08:49AM *  58 points [-]

Upvote this comment if you didn't notice, or weren't bothered by, the use of “less” instead of “fewer”.

Comment author: MaoShan 07 August 2012 04:01:00AM *  0 points [-]

I didn't notice or even really care about that, because

  • the meaning was obvious

  • I especially give more leeway on multi-regional forums where not everybody uses identical conventions

  • I rank solidly in the mid-prole category of that quoted class essay, so I shouldn't care!

All in all, the article was speculative, but helpful. The essay was interesting, but woefully dated. I have the gut feeling that the essential points remain true but in a modern context not anticipated by the author. I got the impression that he was pointing out things that everyone may know subconsciously, but never would have pointed out publicly.