Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astronomy

Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro... by willhslade on Monday July 25, 2022 @12:53PM (#32227160)

Can I just sidetrack this conversation? I've seen this new neologism "2 times less", which I infer from context means "half as much", and I don't like it.

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Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro... by Jaruzel on Monday July 25, 2022 @01:00PM (#32227310)

Surely '2 times less' is minus 100% less, if the amount originally spent is '1 times'?

It's an illogical phrase to be sure.

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Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro... by nodespace on Monday July 25, 2022 @01:10PM (#32227517)

I think its like saying:

"2 times (but instead of mutiplying do the oposite thing that makes it smaller)"

Is where the "logic" comes from.

Hm, I bet this parses as well:

"An hour is .5 times more then a half hour."

Although not quite as well.

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Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro... by elpatoisthebest on Monday July 25, 2022 @01:02PM (#32227347)

Unfortunately this is far from new. I tried fighting it for years and just gave up. Save yourself the grief. We already lost.

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Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro... by 867-5309 on Monday July 25, 2022 @01:28PM (#32227820)

it is bad grammar: you cannot use comparative adjectives on uncountable nouns

that said, when I read it I did not notice. my brain automagically converted the phrase to half. the context was not lost but it is murky territory

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