A Conversation for Selected Pretentious Literary Terminology
I'm shocked
Fruitbat (Eric the) Started conversation Jun 22, 2001
In such a lovely entry, with so much useful material in it, how could the editor let this get by: "which comprises of ten syllables or five iambs"?
'Comprises' is a often-misused word, especially on CBC radio, and means "to have as parts or members, or to be (those parts or members)" [Yes, I had to look that one up.]
The line should read "which comprises ten syllables or five iambs" .
Fruitbat
I'm shocked
Metal Chicken Posted Jun 22, 2001
But the rest of the entry is so wonderful, educational and entertaining I'm more than willing to forgive the one slip.
I shall now venture forth for the weekend adventures, armed with a newly extended literary vocabulary. Thanks 
I'm shocked
Ashley Posted Jun 25, 2001
Fruitbat,
Thanks for pointing this out, it has been fixed
There's an intersting note in the OED that the states the passive use of comprise (ie 'comprises of') is rapidly becoming the norm rather than the rule...
I love the OED... 
I'm VERY shocked
Pete, never to have a time-specific nick again (Keeper of Disambiguating Semicolons) - Born in the Year of the Lab Rat Posted Jul 3, 2001
How can the OED condone this abusage? Ugh!
I'm VERY shocked
Dinsdale Piranha Posted Jul 4, 2001
It can also be argued that the job of a dictionary is to reflect what is, rather than to prescribe what should be.
I'm VERY shocked
Pete, never to have a time-specific nick again (Keeper of Disambiguating Semicolons) - Born in the Year of the Lab Rat Posted Jul 4, 2001
Yeah, but... it looks and sounds hideous... uuuhhh...
It must have been caused by confusion with the verb phrase 'to consist of sth', therefore, 'of' should be used only with 'consist', not 'comprise'.
I'm not sure that's right
Spiff Posted Sep 20, 2001
Hi Ashley,
Is it possible that what the OED meant by 'passive use' was really "... is comprised of" ?
This is actually a passive form, unlike "...comprises of ..." which is an active use of the verb, and is, in my view, a mistake.
That would leave you with (at least) three valid verbs:
"The team comprises five Americans and a Frenchman."
"The team is comprised of 5 Americans etc."
"The team consists of 5 etc."
BUT definitely not (!!):
* "The team comprises of five etc."
I'm not sure that's right
Pete, never to have a time-specific nick again (Keeper of Disambiguating Semicolons) - Born in the Year of the Lab Rat Posted Sep 21, 2001
Yeah, that seems about right.
What's *really* interesting is that you can reverse the transitive construction, viz.:
"Five Americans and a Frenchmen comprise the team."
Key: Complain about this post
I'm shocked
- 1: Fruitbat (Eric the) (Jun 22, 2001)
- 2: Metal Chicken (Jun 22, 2001)
- 3: Ashley (Jun 25, 2001)
- 4: Pete, never to have a time-specific nick again (Keeper of Disambiguating Semicolons) - Born in the Year of the Lab Rat (Jul 3, 2001)
- 5: Ashley (Jul 3, 2001)
- 6: Dinsdale Piranha (Jul 4, 2001)
- 7: Pete, never to have a time-specific nick again (Keeper of Disambiguating Semicolons) - Born in the Year of the Lab Rat (Jul 4, 2001)
- 8: Spiff (Sep 20, 2001)
- 9: Pete, never to have a time-specific nick again (Keeper of Disambiguating Semicolons) - Born in the Year of the Lab Rat (Sep 21, 2001)
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