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comprise

English translation: Additional comment

00:55 Jun 17, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics
English term or phrase: comprise
Is there any grammar error in this sentence?
"Human prion diseases comprise sporadic and familial forms as well as forms caused by infection."
or is there any grammar error in this sentence?
"Human prion diseases are comprised of sporadic and familial forms as well as forms caused by infection."
Twinpens (X)
Selected answer:Additional comment
Explanation:
I agree with Michael that both sentences are fine (and that "of" could be added in the second sentence). I think US speakers tend to favor "is comprised of" and that British speakers favour :) "comprise" without the preposition.
___

Following this introduction are a number of sections or articles, as briefly described below. Following the articles are the lexicons themselves, American to British and British to American, which comprise the bulk of the dictionary, and these are augmented by the tables at the end

http://www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionary/chapters/introduction...
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 08:04
Grading comment
Thank you very much.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +7Additional comment
Kim Metzger
5 +2comprise
Rachel Fell
4 +1No error in the first sentence; a preposition could be added in the second sentence
Michael Powers (PhD)
3 +1comprise
Balasubramaniam L.
4include
cmorin


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
No error in the first sentence; a preposition could be added in the second sentence


Explanation:
Mike :)

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Note added at 4 mins (2005-06-17 00:59:58 GMT)
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Second sentence:

Human prion disseases are comprised of sporadic and famlial form as well as FROM forms caused by infection.

It is certainly understood without the preposition, but for structural balance it \"sounds\" better (at least to me) with the preposition inserted. I realize this is a subjective assessment. That is why I rated it \"4\" and not \"5\"

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 10:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 136

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: as well as of forms
1 min
  -> Absolutely - such as the same preposition, "of" - Mike :)
neutral  Angela Dickson (X): your 'from' doesn't work for me
7 hrs
neutral  Balasubramaniam L.: With Angela. "from" doesn't seem to wash here.
14 hrs
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Additional comment


Explanation:
I agree with Michael that both sentences are fine (and that "of" could be added in the second sentence). I think US speakers tend to favor "is comprised of" and that British speakers favour :) "comprise" without the preposition.
___

Following this introduction are a number of sections or articles, as briefly described below. Following the articles are the lexicons themselves, American to British and British to American, which comprise the bulk of the dictionary, and these are augmented by the tables at the end

http://www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionary/chapters/introduction...


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 08:04
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 187
Grading comment
Thank you very much.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Anna Maria Augustine (X)
6 mins
agree  Andrey Belousov (X)
45 mins
agree  Saiwai Translation Services
2 hrs
agree  Steffen Walter: Not to mention "to consist of", where the "of" is a mandatory part of the phrase anyway.
5 hrs
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
5 hrs
agree  Angela Dickson (X)
7 hrs
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
18 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
comprise


Explanation:
The first sentence is correct. To me, the second sentence is incorrect. It's what I consider a common error, as if people are confusing the verb "to comprise" with the verb "to consist of".
I am British...


Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Balasubramaniam L.: I thought so too. But the second sentence doesn't read correct without the "of". Could you explain a bit more why "are comprised of" sounds correct, and if it is not, what the construction should be when someone wants to say "are comprised of"?//Thanks.
21 mins
  -> You can say "are composed of" or "consist of"; "comprise" is a trransitive verb and can't be used passively - if you substitute "contain", which is a bit like "comprise", see how it won't work as "contained of"; "are comprised of" is used in US, etc.
agree  Dr Sue Levy (X): puristically speaking ;-)/Yes indeed - confirmed by the great H.W. Fowler as well!
2 hrs
  -> Thanks! Sorry, but had to speak up for the minority - see Balasubramaniam's note on usage below!
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
comprise


Explanation:
The following note on usage of comprise might be useful:

The traditional rule states that the whole comprises the parts and the parts compose the whole. In strict usage: The Union comprises 50 states. Fifty states compose (or constitute or make up) the Union. Even though careful writers often maintain this distinction, comprise is increasingly used in place of compose, especially in the passive: The Union is comprised of 50 states. Our surveys show that opposition to this usage is abating. In the 1960s, 53 percent of the Usage Panel found this usage unacceptable; in 1996, only 35 percent objected.

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Note added at 8 hrs 53 mins (2005-06-17 09:48:39 GMT)
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comprise

verb [L]
to consist of or to be made up of
The Pacific Rim comprises countries bordering the Pacific, including the US, Canada, Japan, China, and the Koreas.
The ninth district is comprised of (= consists of) 15 cities and towns, including Boston.

(from Cambridge Dictionary of American English)



    Reference: http://www.answers.com/comprise
Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 19:34
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  juvera: Nice one.
58 mins
  -> Thanks.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
include


Explanation:
You could say "human prion diseases include sporadic, familial or infectious forms."

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Note added at 9 hrs 48 mins (2005-06-17 10:44:08 GMT)
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In that case you could say \" Human prion diseases comprise familial, sporadic and infectious forms\"

cmorin
Local time: 09:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Rachel Fell: This implies that it could include other forms (unmentioned) too, whereas "comprise", like "consist of", is comprehensive
2 hrs
neutral  Angela Dickson (X): with Rachel - this changes the meaning significantly
4 hrs
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