Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2018 August 13

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August 13

Incorrect correction?

The following "correction" was made (here)

From: ... it was launched with only 12 aboard, the least number of occupants to escape in a boat that night.
To: ... it was launched with only 12 aboard, the fewest occupants to escape in a boat that night.

Edit summary: (grammar/usage - 'occupants' is a countable noun)

Although I am 83.7% certain the original text was correct, I don't want to undo the "correction" without a proper explanation in the edit summary -- or, am I wrong? —2606:A000:1126:4CA:0:98F2:CFF6:1782 (talk) 06:58, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Clarity is key. Either one seems grammatically correct, but the second one sounds better, being less wordy. I might also say "the fewest occupants to escape in any one boat that night." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:28, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

• I've made it something like that. In both places where the sentence occurs. --76.69.47.228 (talk) 14:21, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Wiktionary does a fair job of explaining why, in traditional prescriptive grammar, you and Bugs are wrong. Henry^Flower 09:28, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

As a compromise, why not say "the smallest number of occupants to escape in any one boat"? Dbfirs 09:38, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Least number of, smallest number of, and fewest are all saying the same thing. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:12, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

I agree, but we are looking for the clearest expression that maintains old grammar rules. Dbfirs 11:38, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

In any case the original edit summary is silly: if a noun is countable, you can use "the number of" in front of it. "Bananas" -- "The number of bananas". That is not a good enough explanation for removing "number of". I think it is just a matter of preference. --Lgriot (talk) 13:25, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

”The fewest” is correct but throws my brain briefly into a garden-pathy mode. I would say “the smallest number of people to escape in one boat...” Temerarius (talk) 01:37, 15 August 2018 (UTC)

Of all the lifeboats launched that night it held the fewest occupants—12—though its capacity was 40. Bus stop (talk) 02:52, 15 August 2018 (UTC)

Word

Lets say I know a particular language. I am not an expert in that language, but I can speak and understand enough, so that I am able to survive in the country where that language is spoken. What is the word that can be used to describe my knowledge of that language?

Similarly I don't know how to repair computers, cars but I know little bit to fix some general problems, then I don't have to take the help of repair service to fix minor problems. I will take professional help, when I know I can't repair some major problem. The same word can be used to describe my knowledge of repairing.— Preceding unsigned comment added by Enterthedragonrider (talk • contribs) 16:09, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Working knowledge (see also here for a better one) is a word I would use. --Jayron32 17:58, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Trumpism seems to be an accepted term for limited linguistic / intellectual skills. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 16:36, 15 August 2018 (UTC)

Irrelevant to the question. —Tamfang (talk) 07:11, 16 August 2018 (UTC)