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Lucas21c Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Usage of 'to'

After watching this video, an hour later, rich people became just as generous of their own time to help out this other person, a stranger, as someone who's poor, suggesting that these differences are not innate or categorical, but are so malleable to slight changes in people's values, and little nudges of compassion and bumps of empathy.

1. Is the above sentence right? It seems to me that there is some verb missing between 'to' and 'slight' in the underlined part.

2. If it is right, could you paraphrase the underlined part?
  

Top answer

An hour after watching this video, rich people became just as generous of their own time in helping out the stranger as was someone poor , suggesting that these differences are not innate or categorical, but are malleable to slight changes in values, nudges toward compassion, and jolts of empathy. I'm not particularly happy with 'jolts', but it is better than 'bumps'. lucas21c 2.

— Mister Micawber

  • An hour after watching this video, rich people became just as generous of their own time in helping out the stranger as was someone poor , suggesting that these differences are not innate or categorical, but are malleable to slight changes in values, nudges toward compassion, and jolts of empathy.
  • I'm not particularly happy with 'jolts', but it is better than 'bumps'.
  • lucas21c 2.
  • If it is right, could you paraphrase the underlined part?
  • 'So' is wrong there; 'malleable to slight changes' = easily changed by slight changes.
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3 Answers
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An hour after watching this video, rich people became just as generous of their own time in helping out the stranger as was someone poor, suggesting that these differences are not innate or categorical, but are malleable to slight changes in values, nudges toward compassion, and jolts of empathy.

I'm not particularly happy wit
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Could you tell me what the 'to' means in 'malleable to slight changes?' Is it the same as the 'to' of 'to some extent?' Or, does it mean 'up to?'
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lucas21c Is it the same as the 'to' of 'to some extent?
No.
lucas21cOr, does it mean 'up to?'
No.

It means 'by'. These are the Dict.com definitions I find most appropriate:

8. (used for expressing agency, result, or consequence): to my dismay; The flowers opened to the sun.
17. (used for expr
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