Re: [OT] non technical Q: bad or worse. Was: To do the same as Windows safe mode...........
[OT indeed. But it's New Year's day here, so what the hell! A bit of
frivolity is good for the soul].
On Wed 01 Jan 2014 at 09:24:36 -0300, Eike Lantzsch wrote:
> I found "less worse" somewhat funny. Is that part of modern English?
Bad grammar always sounds (or should sound) that way. Part of modern
English? Not here it isn't. But give it twenty years or so and who
knows? We already have the distinction between 'less' and 'fewer'
blurred, with 'less' usurping the function of 'fewer' in the public
media. As for 'trade' and 'trades': if grammar is intended to reflect
meaning you should try listening to TV and radio news broadcasts
commenting on trade union affairs. Leaving off the 's' makes all the
difference.
> I learned "not as bad as" but English changed so much since then and
> "not as bad as" does not seem to convey the same shade of meaning as
> "less worse".
Stick with what you learned or go with 'less bad'. 'worse' means 'more
bad' (it's a comparative). The only shade of meaning I could attach to
'less worse' is 'less more bad', which logically is 'bad'.
If 'less worse' is a colloquialism it has no charm or character to lift
it out of the lazy speaking category.
Reply to: