937. Never be confused about when to use "less" and "fewer" again. Plus, have you ever wondered why our thumb is called a thumb? Or why the "rule of thumb" is so controversial? We look at the origins of these terms and more, and also touch on the many interesting names for fingers in various languages.
937. Today, we explore the traditional advice of using "fewer" for things you can count and "less" for things you can't, but you'll also learn about the idea of using "less" for singular nouns and "fewer" for plural nouns and how that solves the problem of common exceptions such as time, money, and distance. You'll also learn how to handle the controversial phrases "one less" and "10 items or less."
And have you ever wondered why our thumb is called a thumb? Or why the "rule of thumb" is so controversial? We look at the origins of these terms and more, and also touch on the many interesting names for fingers in various languages.
Th "fingers" segment was written by Susan Herman, a retired multidisciplined language analyst, analytic editor, and instructor for the U.S. Government.
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Are you going to make less or fewer grammar mistakes after hearing this episode? There’s only one way to find out.
Grammar Girl here. I’m Mignon Fogarty, and you can think of me as your friendly guide to the English language. We talk about writing, history, rules, and other cool stuff. This week, I'll help you figure out when to use "less" and when to use "fewer" — even in the tricky cases, and then we'll look at where we get all the fun names for our different fingers.
Let's get started.
by Mignon Fogarty
If you want a simple rule, the difference between “less” and “fewer” is straightforward: The traditional advice is that “fewer” is for things you count, and “less” is for things you don’t count.
So you can count M&Ms, glasses of water, and potatoes — so maybe you eat fewer M&Ms, serve fewer glasses of water, and buy fewer potatoes for the salad.
But you can’t count candy, water, or potato salad — so you eat less candy, observe that the lake has less water, and make less potato salad for the next potluck.
As I said, that’s the simple rule, and the one you’ll hear most often, but another way to think about the difference that also takes care of some of the exceptions to the simple rule is to use “less” for singular nouns and “fewer” for plural nouns. The Chicago Manual of Style recommends using the “singular or plural” framework, as do I.
For the easy nouns, it works the same way. "Candy" is singular, and you use "less" ("less candy"), and "M&Ms" is plural, and you use "fewer" ("fewer M&Ms").
Time, money, distance, and weight are often listed as exceptions to the traditional “can you count it” rule because you can count them, but they take “less”; and when you use the “singular or plural” rule, time, money, distance, and weight all fall in line. They aren't exceptions anymore; they fit into the rule. For example, although a thousand dollars is certainly countable — a bank teller will do it for you gladly — we routinely ignore that fact and think of it as a singular amount. We don't care about each individual dollar; we care about the singular total, as we do with each of the other items in these categories:
They’re singular, and they take “less”:
Using the “singular or plural” rule also explains another instance that's often called an exception to the simple rule.
People often think phrases such as “one less banana” are wrong because you can count bananas, but “one less banana” is correct because it is singular, and you use “less” with singular nouns.
“One less banana” and similar phrases put you in a tricky situation because they are correct, but many people think they are wrong. For example, I got grammar-related complaints after Gardasil launched its “one less person affected with HPV” ads because many people thought it was grammatically incorrect. So I recommend avoiding the construction whenever possible. It’s better to rewrite your sentence than to have people think you’ve made a mistake and better than knowingly using the wrong word by writing “one fewer X.” You really can’t win whether you write “one less banana” or “one fewer banana.” So rewrite. Instead of telling your caterer “We need one less banana in the fruit bowl,” avoid the controversial sentence by saying, “Take one banana out of the fruit bowl.”
Now, I know some of you are also wondering about those ubiquitous grocery store signs that read “10 Items or Less.” Well, they aren’t the clear-cut abomination that many people believe them to be.
Although Garner’s Modern English Usage says “10 items or fewer” is the correct choice, other reference books such as Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage and The Cambridge Guide to English Usage note that the admonition that writers should not use “less” for countable items is relatively new, beginning as the personal opinion of one usage writer from the 1700s, and the Oxford English Dictionary has examples of “less” being used with countable items going back to nearly the dawn of printed English and continuing to this day. I find it impressive that the first citation of “less” being used with a countable noun in the OED comes from King Alfred the Great himself. He was the great promoter of English over Latin, and in the year 888, he wrote about “less words.”
Language researchers tend to believe that using “less” with some countable nouns is natural and that the restriction against doing so is constructed and forced. For example, Mark Liberman reported on the linguistics site Language Log that in real writing — both from Google News and the web in general — instances of “N votes or less” far exceeded “N votes or fewer” (with N referring to any number).
The words "much" and "many" also reveal something about our grocery store signs. They are a lot like “less” and “fewer”: “much” is generally used for things you can’t count, and "many" is used for things you can count. But it is equally acceptable at the grocery store to ask both “How much can I bring through this line? Is this too much?” and “How many can I bring through this line?”
To me, the “how much” questions sound more natural, which would imply that we think of our items on the conveyor belt as a single uncountable mass of groceries rather than countable items — but you can make an argument for either.
What I ask is not that you use “10 items or less” in your own writing; it carries even more risk than using the “one-less-banana” construction. What I ask is that the next time you see a sign that reads “10 Items or Less,” instead of getting upset about the sign, recognize that this isn’t a black-and-white issue and save your anger for something about which we can all agree: the people who go through that line with 40 items … they should be stopped.
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by Susan K. Herman
Have you ever wondered why our fingers have the names they do, and how much they play a part in our colloquial language? Well, our fingers have lots of names, both common and medical, and even more idioms that include these names! As humans, our fingers are so unique that we have taken to naming them and using them in many common expressions. So let’s give a hand to our fingers!
First is the thumb, which is typically known as the first digit. "Thumb" comes from the Old English word "þuma," from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "thick" or "stout." Incidentally, some people insist on calling the thumb a "digit" rather than a "finger," but it is typically known as a "finger" by the medical community, according to the "Medical Today" website. But however you refer to it, "thumb" is really the only common name for it. Other medical terms for the thumb from Latin are "pollex" (spelled with either an E or a U before the X), which comes from a verb meaning "to be strong"; and "digitus primus manus."
Idiomatic expressions in English that use "thumb" are plentiful and colorful.
You’ve probably heard the expression "to have a green thumb," which means having a knack for gardening or taking care of plants (the opposite being a "black thumb"). Or "thumbs-up," which is a common verbal and physical sign of approval. Then there’s "under your thumb," or having something under your control or influence, and "to be all thumbs," meaning to be klutzy or clumsy. Guilty as charged!
One expression, "rule of thumb," has sparked much controversy. Merriam-Webster defines it as a method of procedure based on experience and common sense or a general principle regarded as more or less but not necessarily completely accurate. Some people believe that it came from an old British law that allowed a husband to beat his wife with an object not thicker than his thumb. However, this theory has been strongly refuted by etymologists (those who study the origins of words).
According to Dave Wilton of the "Word Origins" site, "rule of thumb," which actually uses "thumb" as a unit of measurement, dates back to 15th-century Scotland. According to his website, the use of "thumb" in this context"… stems from the fact that the distance between the tip of a person’s thumb and the first knuckle is more or less one inch in length, and the thumb can, therefore, be used to give a rough estimate of an object’s length." And an interesting note: The words for "thumb" and "inch" are the same in many languages, including "pulgada" in Spanish, "palec" in Czech, "duim" in Dutch, and "pouce" in French.
Second, we have the index finger, commonly known as the "pointer," "index," "first," "trigger," "forefinger," or "digitus secundus" in medical terms. According to the "JSTOR Daily" website, "index" comes from an Old English word meaning "to show," which makes sense, since many names for this finger have to do with pointing (hence "pointer finger"). "In Anglo-Saxon times, it was known as the ‘scythe finger,’ for reasons that are murky, and as the ‘shooting finger,’ because it was used to draw back a bowstring." With the advent of modern weapons, the now-common term "trigger finger" makes sense. Perhaps one of the most amusing nicknames for this finger, according to JSTOR, is "pot-licker," given how we love to scoop up sauce with it (or in my case, queso!). Hmm … a nickname after my own heart!
Next up: the middle finger, also known as the "long," "tall," "half-way," and "third" finger. Its central position in the hand is the obvious reason for its most common name – "middle finger." Because of its length in relation to its neighbors, this finger also has received fun but less common nicknames like the "high grass" and the "tall Turk."
Now, the middle finger has a bad reputation because it is infamously used in a vulgar and offensive gesture to show our disdain for something or someone. According to the "Strong Language" blog, this gesture actually dates back to Ancient Rome (and maybe even Ancient Greece) and was known in Latin as the "digitus impudicus" or "obscenus" (the "shameless" or "lewd" finger). It’s worth noting that this gesture is considered offensive in many cultures, so be careful!
Colloquial expressions for this crude gesture include "to give someone the middle finger" (or just "to give someone the finger"), "to flip someone off," or "to give the one-finger salute." The origin of another term for this gesture, "to flip someone the bird," is unclear, but the earliest recorded use is from 1967 in "Broadside Magazine," according to "The Idiom" website.
Now, on to the very symbolic ring finger, also known as the "fourth finger." According to several sources, the term "ring finger" goes all the way back to 2nd-century Egypt and has to do with the heart and love. This is why we typically wear engagement and wedding rings on this finger (although whether you wear them on the right or left hand depends on which country you live in).
The ring finger has also been linked to medicine. Ancient Egyptians – and later, the Romans – believed there was a vein in the fourth finger connected to the heart, called the "lover’s vein." This theory, although false, led to this finger being linked to medical terminology. According to "JSTOR Daily," "doctors would use the ring finger when applying treatments, [which] inspired the terms ‘doctor finger,’ ‘healing finger,’ ‘heart finger,’ and ‘leech finger’ – the last because ‘leech’ was another word for physician." Yikes!
Finally, we have the pinky (spelled with a Y or IE at the end), also known as the "little finger" or "digitus minimus manus" in medical terms. "Pinky" comes from Scottish English, originally from the Dutch word "pink," meaning little finger. Not a lot is known about its deeper origin, but some etymologists believe that it has to do with the diminutive suffix "-y," which is used in English for small or cute things. As JSTOR points out, this little guy is the "lovable runt of the hand." Think about the expression "to have someone wrapped around your little finger," which means to be so endearing to someone that they cannot resist your wishes or demands.
And here’s an interesting note: In some languages, the fingers represent family members. In Japanese, for example, little children are taught that the thumb is the "father finger," the index finger is the "mother finger," the middle finger is the "brother finger," the ring finger is the "sister finger," and the pinky is the "baby finger." And in the Native American Choctaw language, the middle finger is known as the "middle son."
But wait … there’s more! There are several interesting expressions in English that involve the word "finger" in general. "To have your finger on the pulse of something" means to be knowledgeable and up to date on something. If you "put your finger on something," you are discovering something previously unknown or hidden. And if someone takes a "five-finger discount" or has "sticky fingers," it means they have stolen or shoplifted something.
Isn’t it amazing how five little fingers can give us such colorful expressions? Let’s stop here, before it gets out of hand.
That segment was by Susan Herman, a former multidisciplined language analyst, analytic editor, and instructor for the U.S. Government.
Finally, I have a familect story.
"Hi, Mignon. This is Josh from Spokane, Washington. I have a familect story for you. Our child, when they were younger, loved swimming. Still loves swimming now, and was trying to think of what to call the stuff you put on your body to protect you from the sun's rays, and they would often say, 'I need some scunscreen.' So now, many years later, everyone in our family still calls it scunscreen. I need some scunscreen please," as we head to the pool. Thanks much love your podcast, and I love thinking about words with you. Take care."
Thanks, Josh! It's definitely that time of year, so I'm happy to hear you are all using your scunscreen.
If you want to share the story of your familect, a word your family and only your family uses, call the voicemail line at 83-321-4-GIRL. It’s in the show notes, and be sure to tell me the story behind your familect because that’s always the best part.
Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, Thanks to our audio engineer, Nathan Semes, and our director of podcasts, Adam Cecil. Thanks also to our digital operations specialist Holly Hutchings, our ad operations specialist Morgan Christianson, and our marketing associate Davina Tomlin, who is trying (and perhaps failing) to learn to juggle.
And I’m Mignon Fogarty, better known as Grammar Girl. That's all. Thanks for listening.
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The following references for the "fingers" segment did not appear in the audio but are included here for completeness:
"English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions (Fingers - Knuckles - Thumbs)" Learn English Today. https://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/body/fingers-knuckles-thumb.html (accessed June 19, 2023).
Bernice. "Finger Names." Facts.Net. May 23, 2022. https://facts.net/finger-names/ (accessed June 19, 2023).
LaSane, Andrew. "How the 5 Fingers Got Their Names." Mental Floss. March 1, 2016. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/74308/how-5-fingers-got-their-names (accessed June 19, 2023).