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Strange use of “whether … than …” in official text
The Next CEO of Stack Overflow“Whether or not” vs. “whether”Can I use “because” more than once in a sentence?How to use “text” as a verbHow to conclude long “whether … or” clausesUse of “if”/“whether”Is the use of ”comfort” ok in this text?Question regarding the use of “rather than”“Enquire about whether” vs. “enquire whether”“whether” or “according as” or …?As strange a question as any
Is using "whether ... than ..." in the following grammatically correct? "This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018."
The phrase comes from the IRS publication 519 (2018), Chapter 1, Section "Dual-Status Aliens", Subsection "Last Year of Residency", Paragraph "Residency during the next year", with my bold.
Residency during the next year. If you are a U.S. resident during any part of 2019 and you are a resident during any part of 2018, you will be treated as a resident through the end of 2018. This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018, and whether you are a resident under the substantial presence test or green card test.
(I should add that I am obviously not looking for legal advice: in any case this paragraph does not apply to me.)
grammaticality
New contributor
add a comment |
Is using "whether ... than ..." in the following grammatically correct? "This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018."
The phrase comes from the IRS publication 519 (2018), Chapter 1, Section "Dual-Status Aliens", Subsection "Last Year of Residency", Paragraph "Residency during the next year", with my bold.
Residency during the next year. If you are a U.S. resident during any part of 2019 and you are a resident during any part of 2018, you will be treated as a resident through the end of 2018. This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018, and whether you are a resident under the substantial presence test or green card test.
(I should add that I am obviously not looking for legal advice: in any case this paragraph does not apply to me.)
grammaticality
New contributor
This applies if it's true that you have a closer connection...
– Centaurus
3 hours ago
add a comment |
Is using "whether ... than ..." in the following grammatically correct? "This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018."
The phrase comes from the IRS publication 519 (2018), Chapter 1, Section "Dual-Status Aliens", Subsection "Last Year of Residency", Paragraph "Residency during the next year", with my bold.
Residency during the next year. If you are a U.S. resident during any part of 2019 and you are a resident during any part of 2018, you will be treated as a resident through the end of 2018. This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018, and whether you are a resident under the substantial presence test or green card test.
(I should add that I am obviously not looking for legal advice: in any case this paragraph does not apply to me.)
grammaticality
New contributor
Is using "whether ... than ..." in the following grammatically correct? "This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018."
The phrase comes from the IRS publication 519 (2018), Chapter 1, Section "Dual-Status Aliens", Subsection "Last Year of Residency", Paragraph "Residency during the next year", with my bold.
Residency during the next year. If you are a U.S. resident during any part of 2019 and you are a resident during any part of 2018, you will be treated as a resident through the end of 2018. This applies whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018, and whether you are a resident under the substantial presence test or green card test.
(I should add that I am obviously not looking for legal advice: in any case this paragraph does not apply to me.)
grammaticality
grammaticality
New contributor
New contributor
New contributor
asked 3 hours ago
Bruno Le FlochBruno Le Floch
1212
1212
New contributor
New contributor
This applies if it's true that you have a closer connection...
– Centaurus
3 hours ago
add a comment |
This applies if it's true that you have a closer connection...
– Centaurus
3 hours ago
This applies if it's true that you have a closer connection...
– Centaurus
3 hours ago
This applies if it's true that you have a closer connection...
– Centaurus
3 hours ago
add a comment |
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
The phrase is saying "whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than you do to the United States". I see no cohesion between whether and than here.
add a comment |
In the sentence
whether
is used as a function word to indicate an indirect question involving stated or implied alternatives
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whether).
Than
is not connected with 'whether' but with the comparative form
closer .
add a comment |
The sentence in question is perfectly grammatical. It follows the following pattern:
X is applicable whether a comparison is true (you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018).
This said, there's no relation between whether and than.
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It's not strange. It's correct. Let's make it easier to digest by putting the subordinate clause first:
"Whether (or not) you have a closer connection to a foreign country
than the United States during 2018, this applies to you."
I added "or not" in parentheses because it is meant but is left implied, which is often the case in English and is the case in this sentence. Maybe this is what's throwing you off, like by you mistakenly thinking the "than" is providing the "or" alternative for "whether" that's been omitted, "than" and "or" both being conjunctions.
Here's a simplified version of the sentence:
"Whether or not you have a closer friend than Uncle Sam, this applies."
To be clear, the above sentence doesn't mean the same thing as your sentence. It is merely a similar sentence that doesn't use so many words so it becomes clearer what the structure is and what's being said.
add a comment |
It's ungrammatical, because "other" has been mistakenly omitted. It should have been "... a closer connection to a foreign country other than the United States". The "whether" has nothing to do with it.
It might not be ungrammatical in a dialect of English other than mine (contemporary Midwestern American), but without the "other", it just doesn't work for me, at all.
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The phrase is saying "whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than you do to the United States". I see no cohesion between whether and than here.
add a comment |
The phrase is saying "whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than you do to the United States". I see no cohesion between whether and than here.
add a comment |
The phrase is saying "whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than you do to the United States". I see no cohesion between whether and than here.
The phrase is saying "whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than you do to the United States". I see no cohesion between whether and than here.
answered 2 hours ago
Jim MackJim Mack
7,09721832
7,09721832
add a comment |
add a comment |
In the sentence
whether
is used as a function word to indicate an indirect question involving stated or implied alternatives
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whether).
Than
is not connected with 'whether' but with the comparative form
closer .
add a comment |
In the sentence
whether
is used as a function word to indicate an indirect question involving stated or implied alternatives
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whether).
Than
is not connected with 'whether' but with the comparative form
closer .
add a comment |
In the sentence
whether
is used as a function word to indicate an indirect question involving stated or implied alternatives
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whether).
Than
is not connected with 'whether' but with the comparative form
closer .
In the sentence
whether
is used as a function word to indicate an indirect question involving stated or implied alternatives
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whether).
Than
is not connected with 'whether' but with the comparative form
closer .
answered 2 hours ago
user307254user307254
4,0302516
4,0302516
add a comment |
add a comment |
The sentence in question is perfectly grammatical. It follows the following pattern:
X is applicable whether a comparison is true (you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018).
This said, there's no relation between whether and than.
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The sentence in question is perfectly grammatical. It follows the following pattern:
X is applicable whether a comparison is true (you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018).
This said, there's no relation between whether and than.
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The sentence in question is perfectly grammatical. It follows the following pattern:
X is applicable whether a comparison is true (you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018).
This said, there's no relation between whether and than.
The sentence in question is perfectly grammatical. It follows the following pattern:
X is applicable whether a comparison is true (you have a closer connection to a foreign country than the United States during 2018).
This said, there's no relation between whether and than.
answered 2 hours ago
Lucian SavaLucian Sava
13925
13925
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
The sentence is poorly constructed -- almost designed to confuse. But, yes, it's still "perfectly grammatical".
– Hot Licks
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It's not strange. It's correct. Let's make it easier to digest by putting the subordinate clause first:
"Whether (or not) you have a closer connection to a foreign country
than the United States during 2018, this applies to you."
I added "or not" in parentheses because it is meant but is left implied, which is often the case in English and is the case in this sentence. Maybe this is what's throwing you off, like by you mistakenly thinking the "than" is providing the "or" alternative for "whether" that's been omitted, "than" and "or" both being conjunctions.
Here's a simplified version of the sentence:
"Whether or not you have a closer friend than Uncle Sam, this applies."
To be clear, the above sentence doesn't mean the same thing as your sentence. It is merely a similar sentence that doesn't use so many words so it becomes clearer what the structure is and what's being said.
add a comment |
It's not strange. It's correct. Let's make it easier to digest by putting the subordinate clause first:
"Whether (or not) you have a closer connection to a foreign country
than the United States during 2018, this applies to you."
I added "or not" in parentheses because it is meant but is left implied, which is often the case in English and is the case in this sentence. Maybe this is what's throwing you off, like by you mistakenly thinking the "than" is providing the "or" alternative for "whether" that's been omitted, "than" and "or" both being conjunctions.
Here's a simplified version of the sentence:
"Whether or not you have a closer friend than Uncle Sam, this applies."
To be clear, the above sentence doesn't mean the same thing as your sentence. It is merely a similar sentence that doesn't use so many words so it becomes clearer what the structure is and what's being said.
add a comment |
It's not strange. It's correct. Let's make it easier to digest by putting the subordinate clause first:
"Whether (or not) you have a closer connection to a foreign country
than the United States during 2018, this applies to you."
I added "or not" in parentheses because it is meant but is left implied, which is often the case in English and is the case in this sentence. Maybe this is what's throwing you off, like by you mistakenly thinking the "than" is providing the "or" alternative for "whether" that's been omitted, "than" and "or" both being conjunctions.
Here's a simplified version of the sentence:
"Whether or not you have a closer friend than Uncle Sam, this applies."
To be clear, the above sentence doesn't mean the same thing as your sentence. It is merely a similar sentence that doesn't use so many words so it becomes clearer what the structure is and what's being said.
It's not strange. It's correct. Let's make it easier to digest by putting the subordinate clause first:
"Whether (or not) you have a closer connection to a foreign country
than the United States during 2018, this applies to you."
I added "or not" in parentheses because it is meant but is left implied, which is often the case in English and is the case in this sentence. Maybe this is what's throwing you off, like by you mistakenly thinking the "than" is providing the "or" alternative for "whether" that's been omitted, "than" and "or" both being conjunctions.
Here's a simplified version of the sentence:
"Whether or not you have a closer friend than Uncle Sam, this applies."
To be clear, the above sentence doesn't mean the same thing as your sentence. It is merely a similar sentence that doesn't use so many words so it becomes clearer what the structure is and what's being said.
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Benjamin HarmanBenjamin Harman
5,35231639
5,35231639
add a comment |
add a comment |
It's ungrammatical, because "other" has been mistakenly omitted. It should have been "... a closer connection to a foreign country other than the United States". The "whether" has nothing to do with it.
It might not be ungrammatical in a dialect of English other than mine (contemporary Midwestern American), but without the "other", it just doesn't work for me, at all.
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It's ungrammatical, because "other" has been mistakenly omitted. It should have been "... a closer connection to a foreign country other than the United States". The "whether" has nothing to do with it.
It might not be ungrammatical in a dialect of English other than mine (contemporary Midwestern American), but without the "other", it just doesn't work for me, at all.
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It's ungrammatical, because "other" has been mistakenly omitted. It should have been "... a closer connection to a foreign country other than the United States". The "whether" has nothing to do with it.
It might not be ungrammatical in a dialect of English other than mine (contemporary Midwestern American), but without the "other", it just doesn't work for me, at all.
It's ungrammatical, because "other" has been mistakenly omitted. It should have been "... a closer connection to a foreign country other than the United States". The "whether" has nothing to do with it.
It might not be ungrammatical in a dialect of English other than mine (contemporary Midwestern American), but without the "other", it just doesn't work for me, at all.
answered 1 hour ago
Greg LeeGreg Lee
14.9k2933
14.9k2933
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
Another possibility is *whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country than to the United States."
– Peter Shor
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
@PeterShor, Yes, I agree.
– Greg Lee
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Bruno Le Floch is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Bruno Le Floch is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Bruno Le Floch is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Bruno Le Floch is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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This applies if it's true that you have a closer connection...
– Centaurus
3 hours ago