bertietheblue
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 21, 2010
- Member Type
- Other
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- UK
- Current Location
- UK
I'm correct in thinking this should read "the largest employer after agriculture', aren't I?
I suppose the sentence refers to the status of two employers compared to each other. If 'after' means 'subsequent to', then one proposition of the sentence can be: agriculture is the largest employer [in this country].
However, the word 'employer' usually refers to firms, corporations, companies, private or public organizations, and a person or a group of persons. As far as I know, the word can't directly cover an industry. For example, 'agriculture as employer' sounds sort of odd to me?
-The second-ranked employer after agricultural employers.
I still think, with or without the comma, people will read this as "Ag is #1 and this is #2."
Yes, at close inspection it looks like there should be a difference. But what could be other possible interpretations of the above? Strangely enough, I can't imagine people inferring anything other than that Pele is 1st and Marodona is 2nd.So:
'Maradona is the best footballer ever after Pele' and 'Maradona is the second-best footballer ever after Pele' would be understood to have the same meaning?