I have a regular spar over this saying with a friend of mine. She thinks it should be said "More haste, less speed" and I think it should be "Less haste, more speed".
The latter is what I was taught, and it makes sense to me because being hasty is a negative thing, whereas being speedy is good, surely?
I have tried to search online dictionaries and such, but get results for both versions.
My mum always says "More haste, less speed". She is my pedant-in-chief so I take this version to be the one.
Sense often goes out the window with these 'well known phrase or sayings'. Sometimes the difference is regional (although I can't see it in this case.......)
What I think happens with this phrase then, is that some people will use my version, with the following meaning in mind: "Be less hasty and you will be more speedy"; whereas using her version means: "More haste will lead to less speed". Which totally makes sense either way!
So although she's right too, she wasn't right for the reason she argued; that haste is better than speed. Although trying to explain that willbe interesting!
Err, anyone can reply if they want! Are you asking because I said ladies? I suppose it was a habitual turn of phrase because I usually get all female replies as far as I know.
