Sentence Correctness?

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Sentence Correctness?

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Hi

Please tell me if this sentence is grammatical.

Because of the movie based on his novel, Michael Ondaatje's name is better known than the names of many prize-winning authors.

Suresh

May 20 2023 07:35:54

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CJ, my doubt was about consistency; when we compare a thing with the rest of the same class, those in the group are referred to individually.

For example, My father is taller than any of the other men in the Walkers' group.

But, in the sentence I posted it is ."...his name is better known than those of many..."

Please give your views.

Suresh

May 21 2023 14:43:28

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vsureshwhen we compare a thing with the rest of the same class, those in the group are referred to individually.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this.

There is more than one way to make comparisons. You can include all (any) or not (many—but not all).

My father is taller than any of the other men in the walkers' group.
My father is taller than many of the other men in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than any of the other men in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than many of the other men in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than any of the others in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than many of the others in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than any other in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than many others in the walkers' group.

His name is better known than the names of many other authors.
His name is better known than those of many other authors.
His name is better known than the name of any other author.
His name is better known than that of any other author.

CJ

May 21 2023 17:46:15

Thank you very much for the examples, CJ. I want to go through them patiently for better understanding.

I will do it after I make my question clear.

CalifJimI'm not sure I understand what you mean by this.

1. This pen is better than any other pen in this shop.

This I think is grammatical.

Here, one pen is compared with the rest, but the rest of them are referred to singly(any other pen).

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. This pen is better than the other pens in this shop.

But, what about this where one is compared with the rest collectively (the other pens)? I think this is not meaningful or probably it is my misunderstanding that though it is compared with other pens, it has to be understood that comparison is always one versus another and never one versus many.

Suresh

May 23 2023 08:34:38

vsuresh
1. This pen is better than any other pen in this shop.
This I think is grammatical.
Here, one pen is compared with the rest, but the rest of them are referred to singly(any other pen).

Yes. That's right. You can do the comparison like this. This is probably the most often used way to do a comparison.

vsuresh
2. This pen is better than the other pens in this shop.
But, what about this where one is compared with the rest collectively (the other pens)? I think this is not meaningful or probably it is my misunderstanding that though it is compared with other pens, it has to be understood that comparison is always one versus another and never one versus many.

This is also possible as a comparison, and it has the same meaning as the first one above, where one thing is compared to each of another, even though the plural seems to refer to a collection of items.

This way of comparing is used, but less often. It's not wrong.

CJ

May 23 2023 08:52:13

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Okay. Thank you very much, CJ.

Suresh

May 24 2023 02:07:10

Answer this Question

CJ, my doubt was about consistency; when we compare a thing with the rest of the same class, those in the group are referred to individually.
For example, My father is taller than any of the other men in the Walkers' group.
But, in the sentence I posted it is ."...his name is better known than those of many..."
Please give your views.
Suresh
vsureshwhen we compare a thing with the rest of the same class, those in the group are referred to individually.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this.
There is more than one way to make comparisons. You can include all (any) or not (many—but not all).
My father is taller than any of the other men in the walkers' group.
My father is taller than many of the other men in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than any of the other men in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than many of the other men in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than any of the others in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than many of the others in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than any other in the walkers' group.
This man is taller than many others in the walkers' group.
His name is better known than the names of many other authors.
His name is better known than those of many other authors.
His name is better known than the name of any other author.
His name is better known than that of any other author.
CJ
Thank you very much for the examples, CJ. I want to go through them patiently for better understanding.

I will do it after I make my question clear.
CalifJimI'm not sure I understand what you mean by this.
1. This pen is better than any other pen in this shop.
This I think is grammatical.
Here, one pen is compared with the rest, but the rest of them are referred to singly(any other pen).
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. This pen is better than the other pens in this shop.
But, what about this where one is compared with the rest collectively (the other pens)? I think this is not meaningful or probably it is my misunderstanding that though it is compared with other pens, it has to be understood that comparison is always one versus another and never one versus many.

Suresh
vsuresh
1. This pen is better than any other pen in this shop.
This I think is grammatical.
Here, one pen is compared with the rest, but the rest of them are referred to singly(any other pen).
Yes. That's right. You can do the comparison like this. This is probably the most often used way to do a comparison.
vsuresh
2. This pen is better than the other pens in this shop.
But, what about this where one is compared with the rest collectively (the other pens)? I think this is not meaningful or probably it is my misunderstanding that though it is compared with other pens, it has to be understood that comparison is always one versus another and never one versus many.
This is also possible as a comparison, and it has the same meaning as the first one above, where one thing is compared to each of another, even though the plural seems to refer to a collection of items.
This way of comparing is used, but less often. It's not wrong.
CJ

teechr · Accepted Answer · 2023-05-20T19:31

It's grammatical, but I suggest:

vsureshBecause of the movie based on his novel, Michael Ondaatje ~~'s name~~ is better known than ~~the names of~~ many other prize-winning authors.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer · 2023-05-20T20:35

vsureshPlease tell me if this sentence is grammatical.

Yes, it is. You could, however, get more sophisticated and say that his name is better known than those of many .... That way, you don't have to repeat the noun "name".

CJ

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