A few random thoughts about words

A few random thoughts about words.

1) Weather forecasters should never use the word "normal". Even the national weather service does it. Normal weather is meaningless. How about average? Average has a precise definition. It is, however, entirely possible, to never have an average day. But at least the language is precise.

2) Grocery stores shouldn't have a "10 items or less" or "15 items or less" aisle. Instead, they are "10 items or fewer". Fewer describes things that are discrete quantities: fewer potatoes, fewer cats, fewer anal bloggers. Less describes non-discreet quantities: "less patience", "less strength", "less annoying".

3) One doesn't take alternate routes or try alternate strategies. The word you'd like is: alternative. For alternate to be used as an adjective, it should describe something that alternates like "alternate days" for every other day, or "alternate side parking" for the insane parking system that downtown Madison uses.

4) Enormity doesn't just describe size. Enormity refers to a very large negative, such as the "enormity of September 11th" or the "enormity of the tragedy". Enormousness is the more generic word.

5) This one is a bit debatable I suppose. But, one who is disinterested does not have a stake in an outcome. Someone who is uninterested doesn't care. A disinterested judge is a good thing, an uninterested judge is not. This distinction has faded a bit in modern English.

6) Weather isn't unpredictable. If it were, I'd be out of a job. Weather is highly variable or chaotic.

7) Cold air doesn't hold more water than warm air. Warmer air causes liquid water to evaporate more readily, so the actual amount of water vapor in warmer air is greater than colder air. This one probably takes more explaining than this short blog allows.

Feel free to add more below or correct anything I have wrong. Rant over.