> is in practice often used by native English speakers for both count and non-count nouns
Alternative explanation: native speakers are wrong sometimes.
It really boils down to:
- Less + uncountable noun (money, energy, code, sand)
- fewer + countable noun (trees, cars, grains, volts, coins)
If instead we prefer to attribute it to class and say using the correct or wrong way is a class signifier and that both are correct, and that language depends on usage and there are no grammar rules really but only consensus, we can also do that. But then "Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?".
I prefer the first explanation.
P.S. Same with "if I were" turning into "if I was". I guess usage turned that one, and that is fine too. I make that mistake often.
In Spanish these guys (https://www.rae.es/duda-linguistica/el-nombre-de-la-y-es-i-g...) also officially changed the name of "y" (i griega) to "ye". The argument: it is easier for new speakers. I will say "i griega" forever I am afraid.
Alternative explanation: native speakers are wrong sometimes.
It really boils down to:
- Less + uncountable noun (money, energy, code, sand)
- fewer + countable noun (trees, cars, grains, volts, coins)
If instead we prefer to attribute it to class and say using the correct or wrong way is a class signifier and that both are correct, and that language depends on usage and there are no grammar rules really but only consensus, we can also do that. But then "Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?".
I prefer the first explanation.
P.S. Same with "if I were" turning into "if I was". I guess usage turned that one, and that is fine too. I make that mistake often.
In Spanish these guys (https://www.rae.es/duda-linguistica/el-nombre-de-la-y-es-i-g...) also officially changed the name of "y" (i griega) to "ye". The argument: it is easier for new speakers. I will say "i griega" forever I am afraid.