Click here to play

Less than/fewer than/under

   Share on Facebook  
Grammar Geek  #358144  Mon, 30 Apr 07 07:06 PM

Okay, I'm struggling with something that seems really simple.

Although every effort is made to deliver orders by the requested date, we cannot guarantee delivery in less than 2 business days

I'm the one who rejoiced when the supermarket changed its signs to read "12 items or fewer," so it's not that I don't know the difference between fewer and less.

But I'm considering "2 business days" as a block, not as two countable days (since it could be four days if there is a weekend in the middle) and think that "less than" works. I think that "under" is too informal. I think that "in fewer than" just sound odd in this case.

Am I losing my marbles? (Please, American experts - this is a local thing that doesn't need to work world-wide.)

Thanks guys!

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Pennsylvania, USA
Veteran Member (15,300)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
Barbara, who answers in American English.
Click here to play!
Yankee  #358175  Mon, 30 Apr 07 07:54 PM
Hi Barb

The vote from Connecticut is that 'less' is just fine.  (Less than a specific amount of time.)


EDIT:

There is a good usage note here.
  
Top 25 Contributor
Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006
Connecticut, USA
Senior Member (4,102)
ModeratorTeachers
Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain
Grammar Geek  #358185  Mon, 30 Apr 07 08:13 PM

Amy, thanks!

This is just what I was looking for to show (myself) that I wasn't totally misguided: Less than can be used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of time, amount, or distance.

Okay, I'm happy about my sentence now.

(What I really wanted to write was "Look, bucko, if your act wasn't together enough so that you only ordered them the day before you had to actually have them in hand, then I may not be able to help you!" But somehow, that didn't seem the right way to phrase it. Nonetheless, it was cathartic just writing it here.)

  
Yankee  #358203  Mon, 30 Apr 07 08:52 PM
 Grammar Geek wrote:
(What I really wanted to write was "Look, bucko, if your act wasn't together enough so that you only ordered them the day before you had to actually have them in hand, then I may not be able to help you!" But somehow, that didn't seem the right way to phrase it. Nonetheless, it was cathartic just writing it here.)
lol Big Smile [:D]Surprise [:O]Big Smile [:D]
  
CalifJim  #358258  Mon, 30 Apr 07 10:30 PM
Less than can be used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of time, amount, or distance.
That gets my California vote too! Who in their right mind is going to say "He is fewer than 40 years old"?  Or "It cost me fewer than $10"?

(But I wouldn't use bucko!)

CJ

  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member (16,572)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Grammar Geek  #358259  Mon, 30 Apr 07 10:33 PM

Yeah, I had to reluctantly shelve the "bucko" language.

Thanks so much for your input. I really thought I was losing it. I shouldn't over-think these things.

  
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions