# Less semen, Fewer sperm, bloody hell! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 11, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854 "2003-01-11T00:06:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JDM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@JDM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDM)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/21 "2003-01-11T05:46:33Z")
Oh sorry- I thought this was the "ten replies or less " thread, but then I got caught up in the “less sex, more partners” magazine that I was reading while I was on line, and I must have followed the lady with the fewer buns without thinking. I don’t even like fewer buns typically. I just came in for the pie. Mmmmm pie. And of course, if you look further at the pie, the more pie, the further pie (and what is “rthe” between friends) you can develop a real craving for pie. Not to mention burger. Mmmm burger. Further burger. Mmmmm nummy nums. JDM ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/22 "2003-01-11T05:59:04Z")
Damn right, Stoid! This always bothers me. I know of only one grocery store that describes their Express Lane as “X items or fewer”. All the others I’ve been in incorrectly say, “X items or less”. With that wording, the customer should expect to pay less if they have an amount of items not equal to X. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/23 "2003-01-11T11:17:22Z")
Thank you **Stoid**! We’ve got a new thread in GD which says something about “Less Cars”. I was considering saying that back when I drove a Metro convertible, it would have been very difficult to have “less car”. Now, should I bust **december** for saying Ashcroft “coauthored” a book? You _write_ books, not author them! Here endeth the grumble. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/24 "2003-01-11T14:58:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*Sometimes less is more. \*\* Or is that “fewer are more?” Oh, and, “If less is more, just think how much more **more** would be!” - Frasier Crane. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/25 "2003-01-12T20:00:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*cjhoworth \*\*\* > Now, should I bust **december** for saying Ashcroft “coauthored” a book? You _write_ books, not author them! Wouldn’t this be a case of “verbing weirds language”? **manhattan** … You almost lost me with that one. **PhiloVance** , if that was what you meant, I sincerely apologize. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/26 "2003-01-12T20:19:00Z")
winkie winkie winkie! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/27 "2003-01-12T20:39:43Z")
less filling, fewer greats? ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/28 "2003-01-13T05:43:25Z")
Les Nesmans Fewer Herbs? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/29 "2003-01-13T05:49:41Z")
Every body else gets it. Making jokes, riffing on it. And I haven’t a clue. My brains have turned to cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/30 "2003-01-13T06:06:40Z")
Actually, I’d be just as happy with either or both less confusing posts and fewer confusing posts! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/31 "2003-01-13T06:29:30Z")
Unfortunately, you are doomed to both more suffering and greater suffering. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/32 "2003-01-13T06:32:51Z")
Les Brown’s, fewer Bands of Renown? ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/33 "2003-01-13T16:51:32Z")
Is that strictly true? Semen contains many other compounds than sperm itself. Sperm count could, I imagine, vary slightly independently of seminal volume. Besides, “sperm”, not “semen” is the plural of sperm. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/34 "2003-01-13T19:18:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > \*\*Every body else gets it. Making jokes, riffing on it. > > And I haven’t a clue. My brains have turned to cheese. \*\* Fewer brains, less cheese? ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/35 "2003-01-14T01:25:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoid \* > **Less semen, Fewer sperm, bloody hell!** …come again? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/36 "2003-01-14T03:14:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PhiloVance \* > **less confusing posts, more hampsters rested** Isn’t it spelled “hamsters”, without the “p”? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/37 "2003-01-14T12:10:22Z")
Less fish, fewer fish ---
**Author:** ![Mock\_Suds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Mock\_Suds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mock_Suds)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/38 "2003-01-14T16:09:51Z")
Les Claypool, Fewer Songs ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/39 "2003-01-14T18:03:29Z")
Irregardless of you’re opinion on these topic, **Stoid** , these mistakes don’t effect you many, or words to that affect. Basically, I think it’s complicated. Me and you know language is hard for peoples who don’t know as much as I and you, so their is no reason to have a temper greatly more inflammible as a dry kindling. ---
**Author:** ![Profane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854/40 "2003-01-14T19:54:45Z")
I read the whole thread, and now “fewer” no longer looks like a real word. Darn it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/less-semen-fewer-sperm-bloody-hell/147854.md?page=3)