This is wrong, surely?

[Passionwagon]

"Seven trucks are needed to carry the same amount of paper bags that fit in one truckload of plastic bags"

This comes from a site on the benefits of plastics. www.americanplasticscouncil.org

(Go to the quiz and it's the second question)

It's saying that seven trucks are needed to carry paper bags which are the same amount as something, which can fit in a truckload with the plastic bags.

[riverkid]

"Seven trucks are needed to carry the same amount of paper bags that fit in one truckload of plastic bags"
This comes from a site on the benefits of plastics. www.americanplasticscouncil.org
(Go to the quiz and it's the second question)
It's saying that seven trucks are needed to carry paper bags which are the same amount as something, which can fit in a truckload with the plastic bags.

It might not be the most felicitous of sentences, PW, but it's understandable.

[Passionwagon]

Thanks River Kid!

Itr's true that it is understandable, but only in context. Taken out of context, it actually means that seven trucks are needed to carry the same amount of paper bags in a truck - which makes no sense, seen as how there has been no change in vehicle, so you do not need 6 more trucks to do what one truck has done perfectly well on its own. You could understand if it said "car". Shouldn't the part that says "that fit in" be replaced with "for"?

[Ouisch]

The phrasing is awkward. It would've been clearer if they'd said something like "it would take seven trucks to haul 10,000 paper bags, while the same amount of plastic bags easily fits into one truck." Or something like that.

And ever since I saw Airplane!, every time someone uses "surely" in a sentence, I can't help but reply, "...and don't call me 'Shirley'"!"

[Passionwagon]

The phrasing is awkward. It would've been clearer if they'd said something like "it would take seven trucks to haul 10,000 paper bags, while the same amount of plastic bags easily fits into one truck." Or something like that.
And ever since I saw Airplane!, every time someone uses "surely" in a sentence, I can't help but reply, "...and don't call me 'Shirley'"!"

Is that the film where the young girl says she likes her coffee black, the way she likes her men?

[MrPedantic]

It's saying that seven trucks are needed to carry paper bags which are the same amount as something, which can fit in a truckload with the plastic bags.

I can see what you mean, PW. It's comprehensible, as Riverkid says; but it does have a "things flying out of the food-mixer" effect.

Maybe: "paper bags take up seven times as much space as plastic bags".

But then we lose the trucks. And question-setters do like trucks.

MrP

[Ouisch]

Is that the film where the young girl says she likes her coffee black, the way she likes her men?

Yep, that's the film!

[mykwyner]

The sentence would have been much more clear if it had said, "...the same number of paper bags..."

Roger, over

Huh?

[BobK]

Is that the film where the young girl says she likes her coffee black, the way she likes her men?

This is a telegraphed version of a rather older exchange:

Waiter: How does Madam take her coffee?
Lady of a certain age: I like my coffee like I like my men - hot and strong.
Waiter: Very good, Madam. Black or white?

This (or something like it) pre-dates Airplane by several decades.

b