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Possible Duplicate:
“Less” vs. “fewer”

I'm placing a button on a website and need to know which is the proper way to write this out: see less events or see fewer events? I'm leaning toward fewer but would like confirmation.

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kylex
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2 Answers2

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Fewer is appropriate because event is a countable noun.

cornbread ninja 麵包忍者
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    Sorry @combread ninja, but your answer is completely wrong. I voted down. – Elberich Schneider Jun 13 '12 at 21:42
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    @RégisRoux: Why do you say it is wrong? It is the rule taught in school (but it is commonly not used). – Mitch Jun 13 '12 at 21:47
  • Yes @Mitch, fewer means "of smaller number," but only 'less' emphasize quantity; I think the OP have to emphasize the quantity, not the number. – Elberich Schneider Jun 13 '12 at 21:54
  • @RégisRoux, I don't really know what you mean. As such, in its current form, your comment is nonsensical. – Alex B. Jun 13 '12 at 22:51
  • @Alex B. Sorry, I do not understand why my comment is nonsensical. – Elberich Schneider Jun 13 '12 at 22:58
  • Simple and succinct, but includes why to use "fewer". +1 –  Jun 13 '12 at 23:02
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    @RégisRoux: can you be more clear as to how 'quantity' and 'number' are different? Especially with respect to 'events' (in the original question)? – Mitch Jun 13 '12 at 23:27
  • @Mitch - It should be considerd I'm't native, however I think the user of button will not interested on the number of events: it is irrelevant whether they are 100 or 1000. What is relevant is that the events are less on more. – Elberich Schneider Jun 13 '12 at 23:35
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    @RégisRoux: OK. If you're a non-native speaker, how can you be so sure that the poster is 'completely wrong? In English, the distinction you're drawing between quantity and number in this context doesn't hold. The rule is: 'less' is for non-integral quantities/numbers, 'fewer' is for integral ones. Also, even though I called it a rule, it is not particularly closely followed in practice. See the duplicate question for details. – Mitch Jun 13 '12 at 23:52
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    @Mitch - Yes you are right. Pheraps I was been rather ... (I put the ellips because I do not know the word). Next time I will think better after posting a comment. – Elberich Schneider Jun 14 '12 at 00:00
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    @RégisRoux - "before" might be more useful than "after". –  Jun 14 '12 at 09:42
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Yes, fewer would be most proper.

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