for an ad-free Fetcheveryone experience!

Grammar pedants - help please.

95 watchers

sallykate Oct 2016 4:45pm, 10 Oct 2016 4,429 posts	Quote Pin sallykate Maybe they were just confused themselves!! "Up to 50% off" would have been better. I've never seen anything described as "half price off".
Columba Oct 2016 6:31pm, 10 Oct 2016 11,454 posts	Quote Pin Columba "Half price or less" is perhaps what they should say? Surelynot, - that's what I thought you meant; but grammar has nothing to do with the reality or otherwise of what is being referred to.
Ndwdave Oct 2016 7:52pm, 10 Oct 2016 383 posts	Quote Pin Ndwdave How cross should I get about colleagues saying radiuses rather than radii?
Surelynot Oct 2016 8:40pm, 10 Oct 2016 1,225 posts	Quote Pin Surelynot Columba - so what is the difference between a concrete noun and an abstract noun. I imagined one refers to physical things and the other to feelings and ideas. So non-physical things. Have I misunderstood?
Winded Oct 2016 8:52pm, 10 Oct 2016 4,792 posts	Quote Pin Winded Isn't "up to half price off" the same as "half price or more" rather than "half price or less"? Ndwdave - not very cross. They are both clearly plural so communication has been achieved.
JenL Oct 2016 8:54pm, 10 Oct 2016 27,452 posts	Quote Pin JenL Ndwdave - just let it go So you know the Latin plural and like using it: that's fine. Your colleagues are speaking English, though, not Latin, so they are using an English plural: that's fine too. Each of you will know what the other means, though. Why bother to be cross?
Columba Oct 2016 9:54pm, 10 Oct 2016 11,456 posts	Quote Pin Columba I think that's correct, Surelynot. But the physical things needn't be "real" physical things; "unicorn" is a concrete noun even though there aren't any unicorns and never have been.
Surelynot Oct 2016 12:53pm, 11 Oct 2016 1,227 posts	Quote Pin Surelynot Columba - that's interesting. Who decides on these things?
DeeGee Oct 2016 12:59pm, 11 Oct 2016 17,598 posts	Quote Pin DeeGee Can you draw one? That's a good way to check concrete over abstract. I can draw a unicorn, or a fairy; but I can't draw love or strength.
DeeGee Oct 2016 1:00pm, 11 Oct 2016 17,599 posts	Quote Pin DeeGee Of course, I can't draw "air" either, but that's something that can be smelt, so it's all good.