The dog is more faithful than any other animal.

[October wind]

Which noun form is the most and least natural? Which would you most and least likely to use?

1) The dog is more faithful than any other animal.
2) A dog is more faithful than any other animal.
3) Dogs are more faithful than any other animal.
4) Dogs are more faithful than any other animals.

 

[jutfrank]

4)

 

[emsr2d2]

4)

Is that your response to the OP's question about most or least natural, and most or least likely to use?

 

[jutfrank]

Is that your response to the OP's question about most or least natural, and most or least likely to use?

Ah, sorry. I meant that number 4 is the one I would use, and the one I'd tell the OP to use.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, that's two questions -- at least. It's easy enough to decide which one I would most likely use. If I wouldn't use the others then it would be a three-way tie for least likely.

 

[güey]

All are possible except for 3, which is problematic.

 

[October wind]

What about this? Is this natural enough?
A) Dogs are the most faithful of all animals.
B) Of all animals, dogs are the most faithful.

 

[emsr2d2]

What about this these? Is this Are they natural? enough?

A) Dogs are the most faithful of all animals.
B) Of all animals, dogs are the most faithful.

They're both grammatically correct and natural (in the right context).

 

[Rabbi Hasan]

Great question! Here’s how they stack up:

Most natural:

1. "Dogs are more faithful than any other animal." (Most likely to use) - This is general, succinct, and natural in everyday conversation.
2. "A dog is more faithful than any other animal." Also natural, but slightly less common than the plural form in this context.

Least natural:

1. "Dogs are more faithful than any other animals." Less natural because "animal" in the singular is typically used for comparison.
2. "The dog is more faithful than any other animal." (Least likely to use) - Sounds a bit more specific as if referring to a particular dog, which makes it the least natural in this context.

The plural "Dogs" generally works best when making a broad statement. Keep up the great work with these distinctions! Need any more clarity?

 

[October wind]

Some say that the plural works for any other…. in comparison, while others say otherwise. Does this mean that even native speakers have different opinions on this particular point? I am getting confused.

 

[emsr2d2]

Some say that the plural works for with "any other" …. in comparison, while others say otherwise. Does this mean that even native speakers have different opinions on this particular point? I am getting confused.

I can't see anyone in this thread who has said that the plural doesn't work with "any other". So far, only one native speaker has commented on your original four sentences and they didn't say any of them were ungrammatical.

 

[October wind]

I’m sorry for my not having been clear. I’ve asked several native speakers in person about these sentences, and some say that “In comparison,” the singular noun is used after any other, and others say otherwise.
So I asked that question.

 

[emsr2d2]

I’m sorry for my not having been not being clear. I’ve asked several native speakers in person about these sentences, and some say that “In comparison,” the singular noun is used after any other, and others say otherwise.

I'm still confused. You haven't used the words "in comparison" in any of your sentences in this thread. Why do you keep putting those two words in quotes when you're not actually trying to use them? You have, however, used "any other" in several of your sentences yet you haven't put that in quotes above.

So That's why I asked that question here.

 

[October wind]

I’m sorry. It’s “In comparative,” not “In comparison.” I got them mixed up.

 

[emsr2d2]

I’m sorry. It’s “In comparative,” not “In comparison.” I got them mixed up.

Where, in the six sentences you've asked us about so far, have you used "in comparative"?
(By the way, "in comparative" means nothing.)

 

[October wind]

I am not familiar with grammar terminology.
In a grammar book I’m looking at, they use the word “comparative”—positive degree, comparative degree, and superlative degree.

 

[emsr2d2]

I am not familiar with grammar terminology.
In a the grammar book I’m looking at, they use the word “comparative”—positive degree, comparative degree, and superlative degree.

You're missing the point entirely. When you put "in comparison/comparative" in quotes, it means those are the words you're asking us about in this thread. You're not. You haven't used them in any of the six sentences you've asked us to look at. This has nothing to do with grammar terminology and everything to do with how you're using punctuation in your recent posts.
I suspect that this is what you should have written in post #12:

I’ve asked several native speakers in person about these sentences, and some say that, “In comparison,” when making a comparison/when comparing things, the singular noun is used after "any other", and others say otherwise.

Can you see why the part about comparison should not be in quotes, but "any other" should be?

 

[October wind]

Now I totally get it. I was missing the point, as you say. I appreciate your pointing that out.