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[–] 33 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Escher sentences are ungrammatical because a matrix clause subject like more people is making a comparison between two sets of individuals, but there is no such set of individuals in the second clause.[5] For the sentence to be grammatical, the subject of the second clause must be a bare plural.[6] Linguists have marked that it is "striking" that, despite the grammar of these sentences not possibly having a meaningful interpretation, people so often report that they sound acceptable,[7] and that it is "remarkable" that people seldom notice any error.[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_illusion

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  • [+] -10 points 1 month ago (5 children)

    ah prescriptive linguistics, never change.

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  • [–] 14 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    This isn’t prescriptive linguistics

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  • [–] -2 points 1 month ago (3 children)

    if these linguists are surprised that people use language however they like then they sure as beans ain't descriptive.

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