7.01 Comparison of non-equivalent items

Rule: When non-equivalent items are compared, the second item is introduced by than.

Examples of errors:

1. You know more about Daniel as Rachel does.
2. It is better to write a story with simple words
3. as to write one with complicated words and make a lot of mistakes.
4. In that case we would surely have a better world as we have now.

The most common type of comparison is that of non-equivalent items, with the first item introduced by the forms -er, more, less, better, worse, etc., and the second item by than. As is used only when equivalent items are compared (cf. 7.2).

German also has different forms for comparison of equivalent and non-equivalent,items, e.g.:

Du weißt mehr über Daniel als Rachel.

Du weißt so viel über Daniel wie Rachel.

A possible source of confusion in the case of non-equivalent items, though, besides the phonetic similarity of als-as), is the colloquial:,

Du weißt mehr über Daniel wie Rachel.

Thus the isomorphism in German in the two types of comparison (i.e. wie as the second element in both cases) may be transferred to English; compare:

Du weist so viel über Daniel wie Rachel.

You know as much about Daniel as Rachel.

but

Du weißt mehr über Daniel wie Rachel.

*You know more about Daniel as Rachel.