Comparisons
Comparisons
(OP)
Time and time again I see the the expression (usually as a title above a plot): "Comparison of X and Y", where it should be "Comparison between X and Y". Similarly, "Comparison of X, Y and Z" where the word should be "among". Anyone here prepared to defend "of"?
On a related topic, I once got pulled up on an essay at university, because I used the expression "compared to" instead of "compared with". "Compared to" is allegorical, whereas "compared with" is literal. Again, anyone prepared to argue otherwise?
On a related topic, I once got pulled up on an essay at university, because I used the expression "compared to" instead of "compared with". "Compared to" is allegorical, whereas "compared with" is literal. Again, anyone prepared to argue otherwise?
- Steve





RE: Comparisons
"Compare with" is used to line up two items side by side to show both their similarities and differences.
The difference between "among" and "between" is that between is used when referring to two entities, and among is used when referring to three or more entities.
Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
RE: Comparisons
RE: Comparisons
RE: Comparisons
Hg
Eng-Tips policies: FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Comparisons
Note how he says:
This sounds to me like arguing would not be a safe thing to do when SG is in a belligerent mood.
It might be the football, concern that the Budget might put the price of beer up (it didn't thankfully) or the fact the Sussex police are putting more unmarked cars on the road in an attempt to catch more motorcyclists, but whatever it is I suspect SG is not in a mood to be argued with.
Thus the word we are looking for here is "rhetorical".
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Comparisons
If not its certainly plausible enough for me.
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Comparisons
Hg
Eng-Tips policies: FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Comparisons
Maybe you need some training Sompting
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Comparisons
This came up the other day when an American colleague of mine showed me a plot he'd recently made with "between" in the title. I had always assumed "of" was an Americanism.
- Steve
RE: Comparisons
"Description of X and Y" = "Description of X and description of Y"
so that X and Y are distinct and this is just a language short-cut. The same is not true for "comparison".
- Steve
RE: Comparisons
By your logic, "comparison between X and Y" should also be incorrect, because it should mean "comparison between X" and "comparison between Y".
Have I taught you kids nothing? You cannot apply logic to prepositions.
Hg
Eng-Tips policies: FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Comparisons