Comments on: Free Rein or Free Reign? http://www.dailywritingtips.com/free-rein-or-free-reign/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:28:21 -0500 hourly 1 By: JB http://www.dailywritingtips.com/free-rein-or-free-reign/comment-page-1/#comment-251916 JB Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:01:59 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2424#comment-251916 This article is an excellent example of the tyrrany of the majority. The simple fact that a majority of people hold a collective opinion does not make said opinion factual. This article is an excellent example of the tyrrany of the majority. The simple fact that a majority of people hold a collective opinion does not make said opinion factual.

]]> By: Alice http://www.dailywritingtips.com/free-rein-or-free-reign/comment-page-1/#comment-222216 Alice Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:44:56 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2424#comment-222216 Thank you for this post - my first instinct was "rein," so I guess I was right. Interesting how language changes with time... Also, you're all using the same Google, but Google's search bots don't always search the same pages of the Internet each time someone searches, even with the same terms. It depends how many other people are searching, which of their several servers is getting the least traffic, which pages it's searched before or has to search anew, how many new pages are going up over time, and a number of other factors. My results: "free rein" : 860,000 "free reign" : 542,000 And I'm using the Canadian version. Google is not comprehensive and does not search the whole web, or even most of the web. It just utilizes the most comprehensive search allegory we have right now. Thank you for this post – my first instinct was “rein,” so I guess I was right. Interesting how language changes with time…

Also, you’re all using the same Google, but Google’s search bots don’t always search the same pages of the Internet each time someone searches, even with the same terms. It depends how many other people are searching, which of their several servers is getting the least traffic, which pages it’s searched before or has to search anew, how many new pages are going up over time, and a number of other factors.

My results:
“free rein” : 860,000
“free reign” : 542,000
And I’m using the Canadian version.

Google is not comprehensive and does not search the whole web, or even most of the web. It just utilizes the most comprehensive search allegory we have right now.

]]> By: A. M. Harte http://www.dailywritingtips.com/free-rein-or-free-reign/comment-page-1/#comment-221028 A. M. Harte Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:59:54 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2424#comment-221028 I just wrote "free rein" in a story, and then had an inkling of doubt between rein/reign and ended up googling it. I generally stick to using rein, but I could see how it would be interesting/funny to use reign in certain cases, e.g. "The boy was given free reign of the Kingdom of Grammar." David's letter and your reply made me google "free rein" and "free reign" as well - only to get different results for the third time!! I got: <blockquote>Results 1 - 10 of about 1,160,000 for "free rein" Results 1 - 10 of about 485,000 for "free reign" </blockquote> (does Safesearch being on make a difference?) Then again, I'm using the English Google, and everyone knows that if you don't give it tea promptly at half eleven it doesn't work properly. ;-) I just wrote “free rein” in a story, and then had an inkling of doubt between rein/reign and ended up googling it.

I generally stick to using rein, but I could see how it would be interesting/funny to use reign in certain cases, e.g. “The boy was given free reign of the Kingdom of Grammar.”

David’s letter and your reply made me google “free rein” and “free reign” as well – only to get different results for the third time!! I got:

Results 1 – 10 of about 1,160,000 for “free rein”
Results 1 – 10 of about 485,000 for “free reign”

(does Safesearch being on make a difference?)

Then again, I’m using the English Google, and everyone knows that if you don’t give it tea promptly at half eleven it doesn’t work properly. ;-)

]]> By: Simon P http://www.dailywritingtips.com/free-rein-or-free-reign/comment-page-1/#comment-220822 Simon P Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:18:22 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2424#comment-220822 I guess the real problem here is that if you don't know whether the correct answer is 'rein' or 'reign', then you might plump for 'reign' as it kind of makes sense in the context of the meaning of the phrase, i.e. to be able to do what you want. It's reining men, Hallelujah! I guess the real problem here is that if you don’t know whether the correct answer is ‘rein’ or ‘reign’, then you might plump for ‘reign’ as it kind of makes sense in the context of the meaning of the phrase, i.e. to be able to do what you want.

It’s reining men, Hallelujah!

]]> By: Reader http://www.dailywritingtips.com/free-rein-or-free-reign/comment-page-1/#comment-199829 Reader Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:33:34 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2424#comment-199829 I think David Duberman's tone is really obnoxious: "you are doing x, aren't you? You do know y, don't you?" Yikes. I think David Duberman’s tone is really obnoxious: “you are doing x, aren’t you? You do know y, don’t you?” Yikes.

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