Why is funner not a word? Fairer is. I can say "funner" and people know what it is, so whats the big deal?

Question

The reason I ask is because I saw a statement today where a Harvard representative used this quote "make it simpler and fairer"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060912/ap_on_re_us/harvard_admissions

Answer 1

Official "words" are those that are listed in a dictionary, which is merely a compilation (a list) of usage. New words are coined all the time; some of them get listed in a dictionary if they are used in speaking and someone on the dictionary's board of editors hears them, or maybe they find their way into print (and an editor reads it and decides it's worth adding to the "official" list). Many totally acceptable words are not added to the dictionary because not enough people who matter hear them being used, or no one in the mainstream media sees them in print.

The above is how words become "official" words and get added to the official list of words. There are many words that never get accepted--and should or could. I see no reason why "funner" should not be added; maybe one day it will be.

People who speak English not only can and do invent words every day, but English is the biggest language thief on the planet, having words that originated from hundreds of different languages, some of them now extinct like Latin, but many of them in use--Spanish, French, and Chinese, being the top ones.

By the way, people who invent new words are called neoterists...Welcome to the Neoterist's Club.

Answer 2

The reason "fun" is treated differently is that the word (unlike "simple" and "fair") was, until recently, NOT an adjective.
When you use a noun for a comparative or superlative expression you do NOT change the form of the noun but simply use the words "more" and "most". (In other words, -er and -est are ADJECTIVAL endings.)

You can see this difference -- and that "fun" is GENERALLY handled as a noun-- by looking at the following constructions.

First, just you say "it was a lot more trouble" and "that was the most trouble" you can say "I had more fun this time" or "That was the most fun I've every had." In all of these, the key word is functioning as a noun.

Compare the expressions "That was so much fun/trouble !" and "That was a lot of fun/trouble". "So much" and "a lot of" are used with nouns. If the words were being treated as an adjective, you would say "That was so fun/trouble!" and "That was very fun/trouble!" (I suppose some might now use some of these, but "so much" and "al lot of" are the older and more generally acceptable forms to use.)


So, even when "fun" shifts over to be used as an adjective, or when the lines are blurry, several of the constructions you use it with, including the comparative and superlative take the form appropriate to NOUN constructions.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-fun1.htm
http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/linguist/issues/9/9-795.html

note that the main definitions are as a NOUN, and the use as an adjective is "informal" (because it's a recent innovation)
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fun

Answer 3

It's not a word because the English language is cobbled together from the rules and vocabularies of half a dozen different languages; and as such, the rules are not always consistent or intuitive. You may not like them, but there they are; and your command of the English language speaks volumes about who you are, your education, and the quality of your thinking. So you'd best just buck up and learn to speak it properly if you don't want to be thought of as ignorant.

Answer 4

Because it sounds stupid. "Fairer" does too. Why not say "more fun" or "more fair" instead? Any you're right, people might know what you mean, but you'll sound unintelligent and uneducated.

Answer 5

Rats! I knew the answer but Bruhaha said it first.

Answer 6

because when u say fun(-->funner), actually u use it instead of 'funny'(and funnier). when u say 'it was fun' for example, u mean 'it was funny'. and there s the word funnier. but fair is fair,in the sentence u said,not fairly or somethin..

Answer 7

The big deal is that it is not correct language usage. Enough things have been done to bastardize our language. We do not need anymore things to add to it. If you cannot bring yourself to use proper English , then perhaps you should try Ebonics.

Answer 8

That's a good question! How about an answer to this question... why don't we say bread is made from "duff" (dough) when we have "rough" (ruff) and "tough" (tuff)???

Answer 9

Thou shalt not abuse, or more than necessary debase thy mother tongue.

Answer 10

Must be the same reason why "11" isn't pronounced as /called "onety-one"....lol....it just isn't right.......ok?