Are they different in terms of meaning?

Question

"Wish for others what you wish for yourself.""Wish what you wish for yourself for others."

Teechr · Accepted Answer

# 1 is palatable.
#2 is terrible.

Anonymous · Answer

Terrible as in gramatically incorrect or as in written terrible?

Teechr · Answer

It's a poor way of expressing that statement.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousAre they different in terms of meaning?
"Wish for others what you wish for yourself."
"Wish what you wish for yourself for others."

The meaning is the same, but the impressions they give to the reader are completely different. The second one is exceedingly difficult to read without actively re-reading it several times to understand its structure. One question left in the reader's mind is why parts of the sentence that go together are so distant from each other.

Wish [what you wish for yourself] for others.

Another question is what to make of for yourself for others. Do both for-phrases belong in the same clause or in different clauses? It takes some time to work it out because it looks at first like for yourself was intended and then the writer changed his mind and wrote for others, neglecting to remove for yourself. Whenever you see the same kind of phrasing twice in a row, check to be sure that it won't be confusing for your readers.

CJ

Are they different in terms of meaning?

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