Talk:1444: Cloud

Is this the normal American way to phrase this sentence: Cloud computing has a ways to go. Since I'm not a native English speaker I'm not sure - but would have expected the phrase to go like this Cloud computing has a long way to go. If I'm wrong then maybe other could misunderstand is? If I'm correct, then there may be a meaning by the different way to say it? Kynde (talk) 11:02, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

It's a colloquial way to say it. See http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/ways . I don't think there is any special meaning to saying it this way. 141.101.98.33 11:20, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

As I understand it, its an american bastardisation of the english language. Alongside others such as 'Can I get a...', 'I could care less', 'Do the math', and 'Legos' --Pudder (talk) 12:25, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

The English language is more flexible than Her Royal Highness' Loyal Subject Pudder implies. I am a native speaker of the American dialect. "A way to go" and "a ways to go" both sound alright to me, but I prefer the latter. If anyone wants to go all dilettante or get priggish about it, I recommend looking up what Grammar Girl has to say. I've learned quite a lot from her. – tbc (talk) 12:46, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

I agree, language is incredibly flexible, and the language and phrases you are around regularly always have a big impact on what you percieve as 'correct'. My examples were mostly tongue in cheek (I'm no language pedant), and I know that the majority of this sites visitors are probably going to be american! However, I will never understand how anyone could deny that 'I could care less' is grammatically the opposite of what is usually being implied. --Pudder (talk) 13:00, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

Thanks for the insight. Do you agree (for my understandings sake) that the sentence has the same meaning as my suggestion "Cloud computing has a long way to go"? Kynde (talk) 14:04, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

Yes indeed - those mean pretty much exactly the same thing, Knyde. Nealmcb (talk) 14:16, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

I agree, though the inclusion of the word "long" in my mind makes that phrase imply a possibly longer timeframe than the "ways" phrase, where the length is less defined. That would fit in with "a ways" being a more relaxed/colloquial/less specific way of saying "a long way".-boB (talk) 14:23, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

"...a way to go...", without the "long" is a thing, and of equivalent lack-of-definition. Including "long" may have confused matters, methinks. (Also can I submit "Write me!" instead of "Write to me!" as an Americanisation I understand but dislike. While "I could of done something" (also he/she/they should/would/might, etc) is sheer laziness that I actually detest, because it is not anywhere near as legitimate, w.r.t. the natural evolution of English language. (Comes from badly misunderstanding of "X have"->"X've"->"X of".) But that one seems to exist in Ol' Blighty as a homegrown corruption, without necessarily being an import. 141.101.99.112 14:46, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

I've always taken 'I could care less' to be a sarcastic phrase. True, it is opposite, but the precise meaning is not meant. As long as the message is understood, we're fine. 1028: Communication199.27.128.173 04:38, 8 November 2014 (UTC)

I do not deny it is illogical, Pudder. But it's an idiom. Idioms are illogical. Consider ‘head over heels’ and ‘have your cake and eat it too.’ I perused Yes, I Could Care Less by Bill Walsh, as excerpted by Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, to come to that conclusion. I was also amused to find this snobbish quote from Isaac Asimov in that excerpt: “I don’t know people stupid enough to say [I could care less].” Meh. I couldn't care less, dead professor. – tbc (talk) 13:21, 8 November 2014 (UTC)

Does anyone else see this as related to 1263: Reassuring? Djbrasier (talk) 02:25, 8 November 2014 (UTC)