Language

Language, specifically the improper use of language, has always been a pet peeve of mine. Each time I hear a commercial say something like, “over 4 out of 5 doctors recommend…,” when they really mean “more than 4 of 5,” I cringe.

So, too, when I see written phrases, like, “every single person…,” when they mean “each person,” not just the single ones, I silently shout, “Say what you really mean.”

For a long time, the signs at the supermarket checkout which read something like, “12 items or less,” when they mean “12 items or fewer,” bothered me. Then, one day, I was in a Publix supermarket in Florida and saw their sign, which read something like, “12 items or fewer.” I was so pleased I wanted to shout, “Right on,” or maybe even “Write on.” Each time I saw the sign, it was like an antidote for all the incorrect signs in the other stores.

Just recently, a Stop and Shop supermarket opened in my town. To my delight, their signs say “fewer” rather than “less than.” There may not be many of us who care, or even notice, but for me at least, it’s one less thing to be upset about. And as someone once said, it’s the little things that count.

I learned long ago that you can’t change the world overnight. But each little step in the right direction is progress.