[Grammar] On Grounds

[Alwayss]

"He released some prisoners on humanitarian grounds."
"He explained the plan on humanitarian grounds."
"He explained the plan on theoretical grounds."

Given the first sentence, does the second sentence mean that humanitarian compassion compelled him to do the explaining? Does the third sentence mean that theories forced him to do the explaining?

 

[Barb_D]

The second one -- I guess so, but being a humanitarian usually involves greater good than taking the time to explain something.

The third one doesn't make sense. I would have to guess that it was intended to mean that he explained the theory behind the plan, but it doesn't say that.

 

[Alwayss]

Thank you for your reply, Barb_D!

How about these:

"He explained the plan based on humanitarian grounds."
"He explained the plan based on theoretical grounds."

How should I interpret them?

 

[Barb_D]

Exactly the same way.

 

[Alwaysss]

nytimes.com/1984/09/30/arts/meeting-of-musical-extremes.html?pagewanted=all

"Mr. Zappa has always created musical theater of one kind or another - he has been struggling of late to get a massive mixed-media project produced on Broadway - and perhaps the scores on the Boulez record really are ''tone poems'' with precise programs, on the Lisztian model. If so, their sometimes disjointed musical logic might be explained on dramatic grounds. "

So, this article (from a newspaper) is poorly written?

 

[Barb_D]

Do you never get tired of your game?