"Like" versus "such as"
This photo I took of an advertisement on a building at 35th and 8th demonstrates a common grammatical error.
What the ad should have said, of course, is, "Works in over 200 countries, such as Japan."
The way the ad is phrased now, it seems as though either Japan works in 200 countries, or else AT&T service works in over 200 countries -- not including Japan itself -- each of which is similar to Japan. Of course, there aren't even 200 countries on Earth that could be said in any meaningful way to be "like Japan."
In summary, "like" means "similar to," and "such as" introduces examples.
posted by JenIsFamous at 6/01/2008 11:24:00 AM
3 Comments:
I think you need to stop working in satire and acquire a position with the FCC. Seeing as how most major social change is now prompted by corporations instead of government, someone's gotta get a handle on the dumb-factor in advertising. I mean wouldn't you think subversively raising the bar might make an impact on the collective consciousness? As opposed to viral videos of Miss South Carolina and "Don't taze me, bro!", that were shocking at first and later pop culture phenoms. You could be like Rowdy Roddy Piper with those special glasses in "They Live". Kicking the shit out of everyone who won't put on the glasses and yield to proper grammar.
While we're fixing grammar, I'd replace "over" with "more than." It's one of my pet peeves.
And THAT is why I am a regular reader, Ms. Dziura.
Bravo.
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