[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by thebfg

....
@Thad, you are partially correct but you should have specified not using side, this confuses the reader.

Something is wrong here. I cannot for the life of me understand what you are trying to say.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I could not understand why the confusion between like and unlike. They are opposites: the writer must mean one or the other!

It is always difficult to correct a sentence which begins as a confusing mess. As the joke goes, one has to tell the guy asking for directions, "If I were going there, I wouldn't start from here!"

Take all this low (not lower) side, business:

Like most Hondas, the seats are low.

Let me complete what the writer was trying to say...

Like most Hondas, the seats are low, and the elderly might have some difficulty getting in and out of this car.

Never mind the cakewalks and the bending down, all of which are unclear/unnecessary! Never mind what else it is like --- or unlike.

Now I have torn the whole thing to shreds: I hope it wasn't written by a friend!

Something Else Entirely...

The newspapers are always telling us that someone is harping about something. I don't think that harp, harping, etc, can be used in this way: one has to harp on about something.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Something Else Entirely...

The newspapers are always telling us that someone is harping about something. I don't think that harp, harping, etc, can be used in this way: one has to harp on about something.

On a similar note, I see many newspaper articles using the word 'comprise' incorrectly.

Air comprises of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and other gases

This, I think, is the correct way to use the word:
Air comprises octane Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and other gases.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by silversteed

...
This, I think, is the correct way to use the word:
Air comprises octane Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and other gases.

Not quite!
Air is comprised of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and other gases.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Not quite!

I agree that it's not quite right to say that air comprises octane, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide and other gases (factual error, apologies for that). But I'm almost certain that it's not wrong to say 'Air comprises Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide and other gases'

Air is comprised of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and other gases.

This is correct, AFAIK. But, 'comprises of' is not. And that was my point.

[mallumowgli]

While we are on verbs - of late am seeing quite a few instances where people use the words launch & process in the first/second person, whereas I remember they were always used in third person

eg : 'Your transaction is processing' This was from a bank ATM.
'Honda Mobilo is launching'. This is from a news website.

I remember the sentences were always "Your transaction is getting processed" or "Mobilo is getting launched".

These were not the only two instances. Am seeing this quite often

Well, saying ISRO is launching a rocket may be correct. But if someone says "Mobilo is launching", I'll have to ask, Mobilo is launching what?

Are they correct usage or am I ill-informed?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

[i]Like most Hondas, the seats are low, and the elderly might have some difficulty getting in and out of this car.

I think the first sentence was right - That the author was comparing Honda's seating position to other similar cars is understood/implied. This is, IMHO, an accepted practice.

The second sentence, should have either used the word unlike or should have rephrased the sentence in a more informal way.
Example: t's not a cakewalk for the elderly - say, like in the SX4

Seats are not low but lower only in comparison to what is available. And mentioning the SX4 gives a point of reference

@Silversteed : the correct word in the above sentence should be 'composed of' On a serious note, you are right

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Now I have torn the whole thing to shreds: I hope it wasn't written by a friend!

Well, we all know who penned the official review of the Honda City on this forum!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Call me stuborn, but I'm sticking with "on the low side" here

Originally Posted by silversteed

I agree that it's not quite right to say that air comprises octane, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide and other gases (factual error, apologies for that). But I'm almost certain that it's not wrong to say 'Air comprises Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide and other gases'

Subject, verb, object. Does Air do anything to N, O, CO2? No. That is why "air comprises" is wrong. There would be a more technical explanation, but I'm not capable of it. Come back Sam! We do have other scholars here, though, who remember the English grammar that they learned.

This is correct, AFAIK. But, 'comprises of' is not. And that was my point.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

While we are on verbs - of late am seeing quite a few instances where people use the words launch & process in the first/second person, whereas I remember they were always used in third person

eg : 'Your transaction is processing' This was from a bank ATM.
'Honda Mobilo is launching'. This is from a news website.

I remember the sentences were always "Your transaction is getting processed" or "Mobilo is getting launched".

Getting processed, getting launched, getting over... get[ting] must be one of the most misused words in India. It seems to get squeezed into any gap, whether it fits or not!

Your Transaction is being processed.

Mobilo is being launched. Better: Honda is launching Mobilo.

Wait... How long does this launch take? We are told that our transaction is being processed while it is, indeed, being processed.

So how about Honda will launch Mobilo, Honda has launched Mobilo, or even Honda Launches Mobilo!

Well, saying ISRO is launching a rocket may be correct. But if someone says "Mobilo is launching", I'll have to ask, Mobilo is launching what?

If one wanted a headline, or picture caption version, then Launch of Mobilo, or even Mobilo's Launch. would do.

I think the first sentence was right - That the author was comparing Honda's seating position to other similar cars is understood/implied. This is, IMHO, an accepted practice.

See above re "stubborn," but also see my earlier remarks about the sentence being a mess anyway.

What is understood is that it is a range of car seat heights that is being discussed, and these seats are on the low side of that range. Honest... to this native Brit, lower does not read right in that context.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

....

eg : 'Your transaction is processing' This was from a bank ATM.
'Honda Mobilo is launching'. This is from a news website.

I remember the sentences were always "Your transaction is getting processed" or "Mobilo is getting launched".
...

You're right.
The usage seen these days is incorrect.
The problem is that incorrect usage is so prevalent these days that you begin to doubt what you always knew to be correct!
I wouldn't say the Mobilio is getting launched. "The Mobilio is to be launched soon", or, "... will be launched soon".
"Your transaction is being processed" sounds better to me.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Now I have torn the whole thing to shreds: I hope it wasn't written by a friend!

By criticizing us, you have successfully taken the title away from us. Now you are the...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM

[thebfg]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Something is wrong here. I cannot for the life of me understand what you are trying to say.

Thad said that it should be low. When I first read it, it looked like he was saying "...the seats are on low side...", therefore I said what i had.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I could not understand why the confusion between like and unlike. They are opposites: the writer must mean one or the other!

It is always difficult to correct a sentence which begins as a confusing mess. As the joke goes, one has to tell the guy asking for directions, "If I were going there, I wouldn't start from here!"

Take all this low (not lower) side, business:

Like most Hondas, the seats are low

Let me complete what the writer was trying to say...

Like most Hondas, the seats are low, and the elderly might have some difficulty getting in and out of this car.

Never mind the cakewalks and the bending down, all of which are unclear/unnecessary! Never mind what else it is like --- or unlike.

Now I have torn the whole thing to shreds: I hope it wasn't written by a friend!

Something Else Entirely...

The newspapers are always telling us that someone is harping about something. I don't think that harp, harping, etc, can be used in this way: one has to harp on about something.

Authors use this type of language to gain your attention and make the article more interesting. After thinking for some time I have come up with a sentence which uses fancy language, but is easy to understand
"Like most Hondas, the seats are low, so, you need to bend to sit on them. This is not a cakewalk for the elderly, like it is in the SX4"
All confusion cleared?
This was taken from Honda City official review
About the harping thing, it is completely acceptable.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Samurai, I love the grammar Nazi

"Like most Hondas, the seats are low, so, you need to bend to sit on them. This is not a cakewalk for the elderly, like it is in the SX4"
All confusion cleared?

Well, I understand what is being said, but the language does not gain my attention or my interest.

About harping... No, I don't think it is acceptable: Definition of harping on

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That is why "air comprises" is wrong.

Aren't we confusing 'is composed of' with 'is comprised of' here?

Air comprises oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen.

OR

Air is composed of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen.

Both would be correct.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

About harping... No, I don't think it is acceptable: Definition of harping on

I agree with 'on' following 'harping' immediately. One can harp on about using correct English, but does the Whatsapp generation care?

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Aren't we confusing 'is composed of' with 'is comprised of' here?

Air comprises oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen.

OR

Air is composed of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen.

Both would be correct.

I think you're right, Doc!