For example, English speakers commonly mix up your/you’re or there/their/they’re. I’m curious about similar mistakes in other languages.

  • IllecorsEnglish
    31•1 year ago

    Less. It’s used eveywhere, although should only be used with uncountable nouns.

    Less drama is prefered.

    Fewer items left on the shopping list.

    • @CanadaPlus@futurology.todayEnglish
      51•1 year ago

      There’s a certain level of irony in correcting people’s language while not reading the original question properly yourself.

      • @Rachelhazideas@lemmy.world
        2•1 year ago

        There’s a certain level of irony in correcting someone for misreading the prompt when you’ve misread it yourself.

        Two false assumptions you’ve made here:

        1. That English speakers are incapable of speaking other languages

        2. That the word ‘native’ can’t refer to English speakers

        As an example, someone who speaks English and Spanish is qualified to answer this question. The word ‘native’ is ambiguous and can refer to either native English or Spanish speakers. This person can answer the prompt completely in English and still be correct.

        • @CanadaPlus@futurology.todayEnglish
          3•1 year ago

          Maybe syntactically, but I feel like reading it that way is probably a violation of pragmatics. In other words, it’s highly unlikely that’s in the spirit of the question.

          This is made even clearer if you read the text of OP, which specifies “other” (non-English) languages.

      • @randint@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyzEnglish
        4•1 year ago

        Thank you! I often feel the urge to use “less” before a countable noun despite knowing that I’m supposed to use “fewer.” Good to know that it isn’t just me.

      • IllecorsEnglish
        2•1 year ago

        I see your point, but my personal view is that I like order. I don’t even care too much about specific kind of order. Chaotic-looking things can also be in-order (my favourite example is Vietnamese traffic).

        I would argue at least is not equal to the least. It’s a different word, despite being spelt the same. There are a few examples like that which, unfortunately, escape me at the moment.

        Also, don’t mean any offence, but text is difficult to relay that - I’ve literally loled at you mispelling grammar in the sentence talking about grammar and spelling :D

        • @CanadaPlus@futurology.todayEnglish
          2•1 year ago

          I’m actually with you - building out our plural system would be a satisfying direction for English to go. Unfortunately, I don’t see “at fewest” catching on. Maybe I’ll try it out a few.

          If you look at non-standard dialects of English, it seems like the most natural thing is for the aspect system to grow out as the language evolves further (and unfortunately lose some of it’s symmetries).