Well, it's Friday, so I want to take a day off of politics and talk about a pet peeve of mine instead: TV hosts, pundits, etc. who were passing notes in English class or something.
First, there IS a word such as farther. Further has its place, like to further a project or an education.
But the comparative tense of far is FARTHER. It's far, farther, farthest.
Which brings me to my next point. The comparative tense seems to be disappearing altogether. This is most noticeable in weather forecasts, because weather includes so many comparative words: rainier, sunnier, cloudier, etc. But these days everything is more instead. Is that so much easier?
Next, the phrase is: I couldn't care less. It may be 'hip' to say I could care less, but you are actually saying the opposite of what you mean. I can accept bad meaning good, but let's not get carried away.
And finally, to say something can't be underestimated doesn't mean it's big, it means it's small. So small that you can't create an estimate that is smaller than it is. Overestimated works in a complementary way. And overstate and understate work the same way too.
Please media folks, remember; other people will follow your lead because they assume you know how to speak. Don't let them down.
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