much/many

Strange. I would say "many" in all cases.

Google "many fewer" and see what you get, including several discussions versus "much fewer". "Many fewer" seems to get more hits. Maybe it's idiomatic, but despite the seeming contradiction, that is what people seem to say more often. As a sidebar, "a lot" is used, at least in American English, to mean "a big quantity", and I would also say "a lot fewer", which would also seem contradictory. But there it is.

I would suggest that, although either can be used, many fewer would be preferrable. Much and less refer to otherwise unspecified quantities, but many and fewer refer to unitary concepts. One might say less water, but to be correct, one would say fewer drops of water (since a drop is a unitary concept, and could be counted). By the same token, one would say much water, but many drops of water.

I can't state to a certainty that much is incorrect, or even that many is preferable. However, i would personally prefer to use "many fewer."

You can read about it here:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslcount.html
There is even a chart at the bottom.

Much: quantity

Much more beer, much less hassle, much more music!

Many: number

many more bees, many less spiders

Many is the correct word to use.

Thanks, everybody, for the response.

Correction

many more bees, many fewer spiders

Thanks again, Contrex.

I missed that part. Logically it should be 'many fewer spiders' to be consistent with 'many more bees'.

Many native UK speakers confuse fewer and less.

Quantity: much more, much less

Number: many more, many fewer

Hi Contrex

I know 'much' is used with uncountable nouns just as 'much' is.

I know 'many' and 'fewer' are used with countable nouns, but 'many fewer' is something new to me.

Many thanks once again for your continued guidance.

Remember 12-10-2006?

http://www.englishforums.com/English/MuchFewerOrManyFewer/dzpzb/Post.htm

Hi Contrex

I remember 9/11 (Sept 11) better.

Honestly, I've completely forgotten the discussion. That's the trouble with having questions every day. I remember the new, but not the old. It is just like reading English usage books. Sometimes I highlighted the important points, but when I read the book again, I cannot remember having read the highlighted portion. It's just frustrating. My memory really plays tricks on me.

Thank you for reminding me about the post.

So it seems that 'much fewer' can also be used although 'more fewer' is more correct. You've refreshed my memory.

I think you meant "many fewer". My position is that "many fewer" is the right way to say it, and "much fewer" is a widely tolerated lapse from correctness.

You're right. It should be 'many fewer'. As you can see my memory is getting poorer. It's part of the aging process.

Thanks again.

Regards

Yes, it happens to me too! More and more often, these days...

Thanks, Contrex.