the same as or as much as

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

This is a question I put days ago and got different answers. Could you please kindly read the sentence and tell me who is right?

Language belongs to each member of the society, to the clearner _______ to the professor.

a. the same as b. as much as
The key is "b". Could you please explain why "a" isn't correct?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

Dear teachers,

This is a question I put days ago and got different answers. Could you please kindly read the sentence and tell me who is right?

Language belongs to each member of the society, to the clearner _______ to the professor.

a. the same as b. as much as
The key is "b". Could you please explain why "a" isn't correct?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

I prefer B, but I wouldn't say that A is incorrect.

[jiang]

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your reply. I see.

Jiang

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

I prefer B, but I wouldn't say that A is incorrect.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your reply. I see.

Jiang

The sense of A is that the language belongs to one the same is it belongs to the other.

[jiang]

&
Dear Mike,

Do you mean A also makes sense?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance

Jiang

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

The sense of A is that the language belongs to one the same is it belongs to the other.

[BobK]

I answered yesterday in the old string; look there for my full answer. Some people use "the same as" to mean "similar in some respect that I have in mind, and you'll have to guess which one (and I don't really care if you guess wrong)". I regard this as wrong and/or lazy, and - in contexts where accuracy of communication matters - possibly dangerous.

b

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

&
Dear Mike,

Do you mean A also makes sense?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance

Jiang

Yes. It may be a BE/AE difference, but I don't have as much of a problem as Bob does with that option. That said, you do remember that I prefer option B.

[jiang]

Hi BobK，

Thank you very much for your further explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

Originally Posted by BobK

I answered yesterday in the old string; look there for my full answer. Some people use "the same as" to mean "similar in some respect that I have in mind, and you'll have to guess which one (and I don't really care if you guess wrong)". I regard this as wrong and/or lazy, and - in contexts where accuracy of communication matters - possibly dangerous.

b

[jiang]

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your reply. Now I see.

Jiang

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

Yes. It may be a BE/AE difference, but I don't have as much of a problem as Bob does with that option. That said, you do remember that I prefer option B.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by jiang

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your reply. Now I see.

Jiang

You're welcome, Jiang.