A 10-year-old in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, says friends correct him whenever he says funner and funnest. Are they really words, and if so, is it okay to use them? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Are Funner and Funnest Words?”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, my name is Ethan DiBiaso. I’m 10 years old, and I’m calling from Steam Up Springs, Colorado.
Well, welcome, Ethan. What can we do for you?
I have a question about why, like, funner and funnest aren’t words. Because if faster and faster and fastest are words, like, what is the rule about those two words?
And, Ethan, are you having a disagreement with somebody about this, or how did it come up?
I don’t know, but I always say something about that, and people say that’s not a word, so I’m just asking. Funner and funnest, so F-U-N-N-E-R and F-U-N-N-E-S-T. People say that they’re not words.
Yeah.
Ethan, let me ask you a question.
Mm-?
If you can say them, and people understand what they mean, and you can write them down, what are they then?
Words.
Yeah, exactly. They’re words. They’re definitely words. Now, people might not approve of them, but they are words, and they do a job, and they’re understandable, and anyone who tells you they’re not words is wrong.
Now, what they might actually be saying, though, is they don’t like them as words, that they sound wrong, or for some reason they don’t think that you can have a superlative form of funner and funnest.
Yeah, they’re a little informal.
Yeah, they’re a little informal. So if it’s a teacher who’s telling you that she prefer you not use it, then you probably should avoid using it. You should say more fun.
Okay.
Or the most fun. Does that work for you, Ethan?
Yes.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ethan. Thank you for calling. Really appreciate it, buddy.
Bye.
Thank you.
Take care.
