Difference between limitations and limited

[rupali.kunmun]

Hi Stacy,

Is there a difference in meaning between the following sentences?

There are fewer limitations on water access

and

The access to water is less limited


Also out of the following which is idomatic?

fewer restrictions on or fewer restriction to?

[jlucero]

Hi Stacy,

Is there a difference in meaning between the following sentences?

There are fewer limitations on water access

and

The access to water is less limited


Also out of the following which is idomatic?

fewer restrictions on or fewer restriction to?

(1) The difference between limitations and limited is demonstrated by the difference in using a countable or uncountable modifier in front of those words. The first example has a countable number of limitations and there are now fewer of those countable issues. The second example says access to water is limited, but we couldn't list the reasons why access is limited in the same way as the first. Practically, I'd use the first sentence if government put up some laws about access to water and some of those laws were removed. I'd use the second sentence if there was a limited water supply (again, uncountable), or it was hard to get to that supply for some reason.

(2) fewer restrictions on (correct) or fewer restriction to (wrong... there might be a different expression that would use this phrase, but I really can't think of any)