While Ambrose Bierce has a place in American letters, he does not have one in the scientific study of English or any other language. Again, Paul or anyone else can say they prefer this or that, but to insinuate that not making the “fewer” “less” distinction is somehow not proper ignores the real language as opposed to some sort of imagined ideal. Once more, I refer you to Mario Pei, a linguist who represented just the sort of tradition Paul seems to be invoking. You can make your choice.
Pat’s Polemics
On-going brilliance
