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I've seen sentences like this: We can reach the goal through more than way. ('Way' is singular).
Now if we consider the sentence logically, we have treated it like this:
We can reach the goal through more than (one way).
But we can look at it from a different angle:
We can reach the goal through (more than one) ways. ('Way' is plural.)
Now I've never encountered instances of the latter, but it was the first thing that occurred to me when reading a sentence like the above-mentioned. I thought, in fact, that 'way' should have been written 'ways'.
I know that we should look for what is accepted in a language, especially in one like English, but what is your opinion?
I agree with Robert. "more than one way" is correct. And I believe I know why ...
The noun way is being modified by what I think is called an adjectival phrase ("more than one"). But really, "more than" is modifying "one." So "more than" would be an adverb. Usually adverbs modify verbs. For example: He quickly ran to the phone. But for whatever reason, when an adjective modifies another adjective, it "becomes" an adverb. I think that's just a "rule" of English. Don't know why. For example: The tree was left in a heavily damaged condition. [adverbs underlined]
I'm sure Grant could provide some insights into why that "rule" exists. Hoping he'll jump into this thread.
But there's no doubt that way is directly modified by one. Hence we use the singular way.
I'm not sure how much the parentheses helped convey myself.
I'll put this way:
'more than one' IS more than one. So it takes a plural noun.
But agree with you that the accepted usage is the singular form.
Just came up with with this: probably 'through more than one way' had been originally 'through more ways than one way'. And then 'ways' was omitted.
But, why wasn't 'way' omitted- through more ways than one?!!
Maybe it's just a matter of accepted usage, and not logic, as I first admitted.
Your observations work from logic. But you also confirm what Grant notes in a recent discussion- that English usages have never followed logic.
Current topic: the singular usage is in my estimation as firm as anything in English can be- the plural use will surface now and then but will be seen as wrong, or as giveaway of foreigner.
Heimhenge said when an adjective modifies another adjective, it "becomes" an adverb. I think that's just a "rule" of English.
The word 'adverb' by its Latin root means 'added word,' so it works with both adjective and verb. That is, not tied to 'verb' that way, it should not suggest that there should exist a sister word like 'adadjective.'
Ok, so then why can't the qualifier of noun be called 'adverb' too, instead of 'adjective'? Probably only because the word 'adjective' was there first.
Ok, then why can't 'adjective' be the name of all 3 qualifiers ? Nothing wrong with that except it just doesn't work out that way.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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