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Unread 02-26-2011, 09:36 AM
Gail White's Avatar
Gail White Gail White is offline
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Default Grammar question

Here is something that has been bothering me. I was taught that the proper way to make a comparative statement is "Her sister is taller than she (is)." Now it seems to be the rule to say "Her sister is taller than her." I have seen this so many times that I can no longer write it off as one author's or editor's ignorance. Does anyone know when this change happened and why? Or have I always been wrong?
Thanks--
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Unread 02-26-2011, 09:39 AM
Roger Slater Roger Slater is online now
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I don't know. I agree there is some laxness in the rule, but "taller than her" sounds a bit crude to me. But "taller than she" sounds stilted. I think I generally find myself saying "taller than she is," including the verb just to make it clear that my choice of pronoun is correct.
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Unread 02-26-2011, 09:45 AM
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Maryann Corbett Maryann Corbett is offline
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To get a feel for the variety out there, try googling, "comparisons with 'than'." Here's one such result. Scroll down to the box that says "Taller than...?"
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Unread 02-26-2011, 09:57 AM
Duncan Gillies MacLaurin Duncan Gillies MacLaurin is offline
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"It is she" is only used in the most formal of social contexts (unless used mockingly). Likewise, "I am taller than she." The conjunction, 'than', is used as a preposition: "I am taller than her."

Another feature I see disappearing is the use of the comparative in this example: "Which of you two is the taller?" Where the grammatically incorrect "Which of you two is the tallest?" is the preferred version in most social contexts, as the correct version is deemed too pedantic.

O tempora, o mores!

Duncan
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Unread 02-26-2011, 10:30 AM
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Gail White Gail White is offline
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Great website, Maryann. Everything's on the net if you only know where to look.

Yes, Duncan, mores are changing. I expect to go to my grave as the last person to bother making a distinction between "lie" and "lay".
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Unread 02-26-2011, 12:11 PM
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John Whitworth John Whitworth is offline
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But Roger, you're fatter than me. I mean you're not fatter than I, are you?
And could anyone say you're not as fat as I?
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Unread 02-26-2011, 03:40 PM
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Ann Drysdale Ann Drysdale is offline
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John - pop a verb in and suck it and see. You are fatter than me am? I don't think so. Whereas your not being as fat as I am is not only grammatical but true.
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Unread 02-26-2011, 04:07 PM
Gregory Dowling Gregory Dowling is offline
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Yes, but the verb isn't there. And when the verb isn't there, we tend to consider the word "than" as a preposition rather than a conjunction. (Look at the use of the word "than" in that sentence; isn't it more like a preposition than a conjunction? And there too?)

When we put in the verb, then of course the word "than" changes its function and becomes a conjunction. (I could turn this into a poem, I guess.)

The same thing happens with other words, like "as":

He used his shoe as a hammer.

There it's clearly being used as a preposition (and in this sentence too).

But in the sentence "He used his shoe as he would have used a hammer...", it's clearly a conjunction.

Admit it, doesn't it feel a little bit twee when you say "He's taller than I" (not to mention fatter)?
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Unread 02-26-2011, 05:02 PM
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Michael F Michael F is offline
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In conversation, I do exactly as Ann suggests.

I cannot bring myself to say "taller than her" (or, in New Yawkese, "talluh than huh"), so I always add the second verb.

So I don't smell like mothballs. I hope...
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Unread 02-26-2011, 08:15 PM
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Janice D. Soderling Janice D. Soderling is offline
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It's one thing to say it, and another thing to write it. We all occasionally use colloquialisms ain't and phrases like give it to who!! or he don't know nothing from nothing", to make a point that we are being informal or friendly or funny or at least trying to be. But we know the difference and wouldn't write it in a magazine article.

But Gail was deploring that she sees it often in writing, newspapers maybe?

Keep up the good work Word Nerds. Lift that standard, tote that dangling participle.
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