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Archimedes
and something other than what we think we are
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
Dec 20, 2012 04:31
11 yrs ago
English term

write this much less have different ways to say it

English Other Poetry & Literature
You wouldn't even write this much less have different ways to say it!
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/English/poetry_literature/5049547-...


Thank you!
Responses
4 let alone
References
much less
Change log

Dec 20, 2012 04:31: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (2): Bernhard Sulzer, Yvonne Gallagher

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Discussion

Alison Sparks (X) Dec 20, 2012:
@Charles Always the apostrophe without the following 's' as I was taught, but that was in the stone age! Perhaps by tomorrow it won't matter any more! :)
Charles Davis Dec 20, 2012:
@ Alison Forgive my ignorance, but by "the Oxford apostrophe" do you mean adding the s or omitting it? In other words, is the Oxford apostrophe James's or James' ?. I assume it's the latter, but I'm not sure.
Alison Sparks (X) Dec 20, 2012:
@asker This was my answer to your Kudoz question. Sorry, my fault for forgetting the all important comma. I do apologise. I should add that many years ago I used to get into trouble for not using what was known as "the Oxford apostrophe". I have added a note to my original answer in explanation.
Trudy Peters Dec 20, 2012:
@Egil Why don't you post this as an answer.
Jonathan MacKerron Dec 20, 2012:
with Egil with a comma inserted before "much", Bernhard's interpretation should be readily understood
B D Finch Dec 20, 2012:
, still less ... It should be "still less", not "much less". However, by now I'm sure you know what Alison meant.
katsy Dec 20, 2012:
in the context that you give, Michael, when your question concerned pronunciation and possible spellings of a possessive form, I have to admit that I find the sentence rather difficult to understand.
Egil Presttun Dec 20, 2012:
A comma is missing You wouldn't even write this, much less have different ways to say it!
Bernhard Sulzer Dec 20, 2012:
first of all, you wouldn't even write this and, secondly, it is even less likely that you would have different ways to say it/of saying it (= you would certainly not do it).

Responses

1 hr

let alone

it is sort of similar to saying neither/nor
Example sentence:

You would neither write this much nor have another way of saying it.

Note from asker:
Why wouldn't I even write this much less have different ways to say it! ,
Peer comment(s):
neutral Jim Tucker (X) : not "write this much" but "write this, much less have..." / Just correcting your sample sentence. Also, "nor" is not a synonym for "much less." Not even "sort of similar."
5 hrs
Sure throw in a commma on the original and yo have a better sentence, good deal, thanks! But this still does nothing to explain the usage to Michael, which is what I focused on. Thanks again.
neutral Alison Sparks (X) : Jim is right, but then so are you! I forgot the comma, sorry. However, your sentence doesn't seem correct unless you remove the word 'much'.
12 hrs
Yes the example sentence should not have "much" in it, thank you!
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : agree with Jim and Alison here. This doesn't really answer Michael's question in a clear way
1 day 7 hrs
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

8 mins
Reference:

much less

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/much less

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2012-12-20 04:47:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

certainly not/ even less likely
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree katsy : yes, you wouldn't write this, and it's even less likely that you'd say it.
4 hrs
thank you, katsy! :)
agree Yvonne Gallagher
8 hrs
thank you, gallagy2! :)
agree Alison Sparks (X)
13 hrs
Thanks for confirming, Alison! :)
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