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Taka Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

the more

Eight-year-old Jimmy comes to school and on his face is the clear mark of a hand.

"Where did you get that mark, Jimmy?" asks his teacher.
"My mom hit me," answers Jimmy.

Sixty years ago, the teacher might well have replied, "I'll bet you deserved it." Today, by law, in every state of America, the teacher must report such an incident to local child-abuse authorities. At the heart of the revolution in child raising is the fact that the more severe forms of punishment, such as hard slaps across the face, are now considered unacceptable.

About the part in red, why the comparative? Why not simply 'severe forms of punishment'? Isn't the clear mark of a hand an evidence of a harad slap across the face anyway?
  

Top answer

The more could be omitted. Funnily enough, at least to me, its inclusion seems to make the "severe forms of punishment" less severe. CB

  • The more could be omitted.
  • Funnily enough, at least to me, its inclusion seems to make the "severe forms of punishment" less severe.
  • CB
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22 Answers
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The morecould be omitted. Funnily enough, at least to me, its inclusion seems to make the "severe forms of punishment" less severe.
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Taka Eight-year-old Jimmy comes to school and on his face is the clear mark of a hand.

"Where did you get that mark, Jimmy?" asks his teacher.
"My mom hit me," answers Jimmy.

Sixty years ago, the teacher might well have replied, "I'll bet you deserved it." Today, by law, in every state of America, the teacher must report such an inciden
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No, the presence of "the more" can't be avoided.

It shows that there's an hierarchy/order in terms of forms of punishment, in author's opinion, and that he wants the reader to believe that. Whether he succeeds in that is another matter, but at least he tried.

forms of punishment
severe
forms of punishment
more severe forms of punishment
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Marius HancuNo, the presence of "the more" can't be avoided.

It shows that there's an hierarchy/order in terms of forms of punishment, in author's opinion, and that he wants the reader to believe that. Whether he succeeds in that is another matter, but at least he tried.

forms of punishment
severe
forms of punishment
m
0
Taka
Marius HancuNo, the presence of "the more" can't be avoided.

It shows that there's an hierarchy/order in terms of forms of punishment, in author's opinion, and that he wants the reader to believe that. Whether he succeeds in that is another matter, but at least he tried.

forms of punishment
severe
fo
0
Jimmy got the clear mark of a hand.
?
The mark shows that somebody slapped across his face.
?
Sixty years ago, it didn't have to be reported to authorities.
?
Now, it has to be, because severe forms of punishment, such as hard slaps across the face, are now considered unacceptable.

I think even without 'the more', the logi
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TakaJimmy got the clear mark of a hand.
?
The mark shows that somebody slapped across his face.
?
Sixty years ago, it didn't have to be reported to authorities.
?
Now, it has to be, because severe forms of punishment, such as hard slaps across the face, are now considered unacceptable.

I thi
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So you think the author thinks some severe forms of punishment are acceptable. Hmm...

Well, you've ended your discussion. That's fine.

But this thread is still open to any comments.

I'll wait and see what other people have to say.
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>So you think the author thinks some severe forms of punishment are acceptable.

No.

> ... are now considered unacceptable.

This is not about author's opinion, it's about the way he perceives and reports the society's/community's opinion. So, perhaps he thinks that the society believes that some severe forms of punish
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Marius HancuNo, the presence of "the more" can't be avoided.

It shows that there's an hierarchy/order in terms of forms of punishment, in author's opinion, and that he wants the reader to believe that. Whether he succeeds in that is another matter, but at least he tried.

forms of punishment
severe
forms of punishment
m

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