Smoking is injurious to health.

Question

HiWould you say that the following sentences are equally natural with a very slight difference in meaning?Smoking is injurious to health.Smoking is injurious to the health.Thanks,Tom

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

Mr. TomHi

Would you say that the following sentences are equally natural with a very slight difference in meaning?

Smoking is injurious to health.

Smoking is injurious to the health.

Thanks,

Tom

Injurious - is not really idiomatic to most American ears. In fact, I can't ever remember hearing anyone saying " injurious" referring to smoking. We can convey relatively the same meaning with:
Smoking is hazardous to you health.
Smoking can endanger your health.
Smoking is a health risk.

Mr. Tom · Answer

Thanks, dimsumexpress!

So, are these the same?

Smoking is hazardous to your health.

Smoking is hazardous to health.

Smoking is hazardous to the health.

Tom

Dimsumexpress · Answer

If you are a smoker and you are in your doctor's office for a check-up, I would wager a $1.00 that this is what he will say: Smoking is hazardous to your health. You shoul consider quitting.

To health and the health - would be considered awkward, if not incorrect.
Smoking is hazardous to health. -

Smoking is hazardous to the health.

You can say" smoking is a health hazard"

Yankee · Answer

Mr. TomWould you say that the following sentences are equally natural with a very slight difference in meaning?

Smoking is injurious to health.

Smoking is injurious to the health.

Hi Tom,

I agree that 'hazardous' would be the more commonly used adjective here in the US. However, that certainly does not rule out a possible use of 'injurious'. It would also quite common to hear people say 'hazardous to your health'.

If you use 'health' rather than 'your health', then your statement would be a more impersonal statement of general fact. For example, you might say this:

- Researchers and doctors agree that smoking is injurious to health.

If you used 'the health', I would expect it to be followed by the word 'of'. For example:

- Nowadays most people agree that smoking is hazardous to the health of the smoker as well as everyone in the vicinity of the smoker.

Smoking is injurious to health.

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