are due to begin in London

[GoodTaste]

I wonder whether "are due to begin in London" can be written as "are due to launch in London" without altering its original meaning. "Launch" means to initiate and sounds a bit more serious. I am not sure.

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Today’s #covid19 headlines:


The world’s first covid-19 human challenge trials — in which healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with coronavirus to assess the effectiveness of experimental vaccines, are due to begin in London in January.

Source: New Scientist (2h)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

That's okay. If you want it to sound less like jargon, use due to be launched.

I like begin and start better because they sound the least like jargon.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think launch is really the right word. begin is the best word there.

 

[GoodTaste]

I don't think launch is the really the right word. begin is the best word there.

I wonder why.

Compare the examples: NASA plans to launch the first Artemis crew to the moon...

Now to launch the world’s first covid-19 human challenge trials...

They are very similar and seem working.

 

[jutfrank]

I wonder why.

Why what?

Compare the examples: NASA plans to launch the first Artemis crew to the moon...

Now to launch the world’s first covid-19 human challenge trials...

Thanks but I don't need to compare anything. That's for you to do.

When thinking about the differences in meaning/use between verbs, make sure you notice whether they can be used both transitively and intransitively, and if so, consider what effects this might have.

They are very similar and seem working.

No, I don't think they are very similar. They're quite different, in fact.

As I said, begin is the best word for the context in post #1. Trials begin, they don't launch.

 

[GoodTaste]

Trials begin, they don't launch.

Last decades witnessed the rise of the usage "launch a trial". See Ngram:



Click to enlarge. The usage rates are 4:1 ("begin a trial" vs. "launch a trial")

 

[jutfrank]

Last decades witnessed the rise of the usage "launch a trial". See Ngram:

View attachment 3644

Click to enlarge. The usage rates are 4:1 ("begin a trial" vs. "launch a trial")

I'm afraid you've misunderstood, GoodTaste.

1) Read again what I said about transitive/intransitive usage.

2) Be very careful when interpreting Google Ngram data. How are you going to filter for meaning? How can you know from that data whether the results are part of phrases such as 'launch a trial version/product/run', etc.?

Remember: we're talking here about the intransitive use of the verb begin, used in collocation with trial in the experimental/medical sense.