Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
compared with / compared to
English answer:
compared to and with
Added to glossary by
Scribae-Ling (X)
Jun 2, 2008 09:14
15 yrs ago
13 viewers *
English term
compared with / compared to
English
Bus/Financial
Economics
152 projets en 2007 contre 173 en 2006
I have a doubt about using the appropriate phrase:
... 152 projects in 2007 compared with 173 in 2006...
When should you use [compared with] and [compared to] ?
Is there any specific context ?
(for instance "against" would be suitable for exchange rates, or any terminology relating to finances).
Thank you so much for your help.
Michèle
... 152 projects in 2007 compared with 173 in 2006...
When should you use [compared with] and [compared to] ?
Is there any specific context ?
(for instance "against" would be suitable for exchange rates, or any terminology relating to finances).
Thank you so much for your help.
Michèle
Responses
| 4 +6 | compared with |
Richard Nice
|
| 4 +4 | Either |
Terry Richards
|
| 4 +1 | as against / against |
Tony M
|
| 3 +2 | Just a note |
d_vachliot (X)
|
| 4 | compare to |
Mark Nathan
|
Change log
Jun 2, 2008 09:27: writeaway changed "Language pair" from "French to English" to "English"
Responses
+6
57 mins
Richard Nice
Germany
Germany
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Germany
Translator of Distinction
Native in: English (Variants: Australian, US, Canadian, British, New Zealand, UK) 
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
compared with
Not many people know this (it's another lost cause, like distinguishing 'disinterested' and 'uninterested') but there was a time when 'compared with' implied differences and 'compared to' implied similarities.
Example sentence:
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day...?"
Note from asker:
| hank you so much Richard and to the numerous peer comments sent. I received a link that might be very useful to everyone: http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.com/2006/09/compare-to-vs-compare-with.html Just have a look at it ! It is fascinating bec' very subtle! |
| Sorry, I forgot to sign... Michèle |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
jacana54 (X)
: You just made me wake up! Nothing like Shakespeare for breakfast. Thanks. (unfortunately my dictionary doesn't distinguish "disinterested" and "uninterested", will keep looking, haha). :-)
18 mins
|
| agree |
Gary D
: "To" is for similar, A Porsche is a faster car compared to a Jaguar, which is also fast. A Porsche is fast Compared with a Trabant, which is as slow as a snail.
56 mins
|
| agree |
TonyTK
: You learn something every day. I must have missed that particular lesson back in the early 60s.
1 hr
|
| agree |
Irene McClure
: fascinating!
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Charles Hawtrey (X)
: From one pedant to another. As my 1972 edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage (OUP, 1.75 GBP) says, paraphrased. I'd need much more space to quote the entire article. But, if 'compare' is used intransitively 'with' alone is possible.
6 hrs
|
| agree |
lexical
: Absolutely correct. Everybody who was actually awake in their English lessons in the 1960s and didn't have the misfortune to be taught by sandal-wearing liberals already knew this.
8 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
3 mins
compare to
Sounds more correct to my UK ear. However, I would make a comparison with something.
+4
4 mins
Terry Richards
France
France
Native in English
&
English
France
30 years in IT, Engineering degree.
Native in: English (Variants: UK, US, British) 
Works in: French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Either
Either one is good. I have a slight preference for "with" but either one is perfectly understandable and in regular use.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
swanda
4 mins
|
| agree |
Tony M
5 mins
|
| agree |
cjohnstone
54 mins
|
| agree |
Nitin Goyal
4 hrs
|
+1
12 mins
English term (edited):
contre
as against / against
Although you could use 'compared to/with' here, U just wanted to add that there's no real reason why you can't keep it simple and just use '(as) against' — it works perfectly well in EN too, and has the advantage of being a lot less clumsy if it is repeated several times, as can often be the case when quoting year-on-year changes in figures etc.
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Note added at 16 mins (2008-06-02 09:30:16 GMT)
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I agree with Terry that either can be used, though in the particular case of translating 'contre', I often find that 'compared to...' sounds slightly better to my ears, particularly if they are highlighting how BIG the difference is (i.e. making a contrast); somehow, if they are saying how SIMILAR the figures are ("which stands comparison with..."), then I feel 'with' works ever so slightly better.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2008-06-02 09:30:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I agree with Terry that either can be used, though in the particular case of translating 'contre', I often find that 'compared to...' sounds slightly better to my ears, particularly if they are highlighting how BIG the difference is (i.e. making a contrast); somehow, if they are saying how SIMILAR the figures are ("which stands comparison with..."), then I feel 'with' works ever so slightly better.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
d_vachliot (X)
: Yes, I think that while either "compare with/to" would be correct here, it would also be superfluous.
7 mins
|
|
Efharisto, Dimitris!
|
+2
1 hr
Just a note
According to the Free Online Dictionary:
Usage Note: Compare usually takes the preposition to when it refers to the activity of describing the resemblances between unlike things: He compared her to a summer day. Scientists sometimes compare the human brain to a computer. It takes with when it refers to the act of examining two like things in order to discern their similarities or differences: The police compared the forged signature with the original. The committee will have to compare the Senate's version of the bill with the version that was passed by the House. When compare is used to mean "to liken (one) with another," with is traditionally held to be the correct preposition: That little bauble is not to be compared with (not to) this enormous jewel. But to is frequently used in this context and is not incorrect.
Usage Note: Compare usually takes the preposition to when it refers to the activity of describing the resemblances between unlike things: He compared her to a summer day. Scientists sometimes compare the human brain to a computer. It takes with when it refers to the act of examining two like things in order to discern their similarities or differences: The police compared the forged signature with the original. The committee will have to compare the Senate's version of the bill with the version that was passed by the House. When compare is used to mean "to liken (one) with another," with is traditionally held to be the correct preposition: That little bauble is not to be compared with (not to) this enormous jewel. But to is frequently used in this context and is not incorrect.
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much Dimitris and to all peer comments. I was sent a link that might be very useful to everyone: http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.com/2006/09/compare-to-vs-compare-with.html Just have a look at it ! It is fascinating bec' very subtle! |
| Sorry, I forgot to sign... Michèle |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Irene McClure
: in line with Richard's comments.
5 hrs
|
|
Yes, that's right. Thank you.
|
|
| agree |
lexical
: Beautifully explained. I refer you to my comments under Richard's answer.//Even so, when I went to school, the sons of farm labourers in my class could all explain the difference. Now very few English people can.
8 hrs
|
|
Thank you. The credit goes to the Free Dictionary!
|
Discussion
That was great help!
Michèle