lew (01/14/83)
brunix!gh suggested using the sentence: "This year's production is 17,500, while last year's was only 13,000." instead of: "This year's production is 17,500, compared with 13,000 last year." This use of "while" is condemned in "The Elements of Style" by Strunk & White. They say that "while" should be only be used to relate events which actually happen at the same time. I suggest the following: "This year's production is 17,500. Never mind last year's." Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew
thomas (01/15/83)
How about "this years production was 5, whereas last year, we produced a whopping total of 2.7"? =Spencer
mmt (01/15/83)
Surely the appropriate replacement for a misused "while" is usually "whereas"? For example: "This year's production is 17,500, while last year's was only 13,000." should be "This year's production is 17,500, whereas last year's was only 13,000." Martin Taylor
zrm (01/16/83)
Most business publications I've seem use the following contruct: Production this year is 17,500, up from 13,000 last year. or ...17,500, up 4,500 from last year's total. I guess comparison words don't work too well when dealing with the same statistic at two different times.