Similar to vs like

[qianruS779]

Hi Instructors,

I would like to ask you a question about the usage of similar to vs like. According to the explanation from OG, similar to is imprecise form of comparison.

There are two examples:
Like Jane, I like Pizza. (1)
Similar to Jane, I like Pizza. (2)

I would like to understand why (2) is imprecise form of comparison, and whether "I am similar to Jane in liking Pizza" is more precise in comparison than the form (2)?

Thank you very much In advance

Best regards.

[RonPurewal]

the point of Like X, Y does zzzzz is to express the idea that BOTH 'X' and 'Y' do whatever 'zzzzzz' is—and that the similarity stops there. in other words, 'X' and 'Y' may have other similarities—but they may be completely different in every other imaginable way.)

e.g.,
Like my brother, I enjoy stupid jokes.
--> BOTH my brother and i enjoy stupid jokes.
--> apart from this, we might have nothing else in common at all.

this is very clearly the context in the example at hand.

[RonPurewal]

similar to ___ just states that something is, in a general sense, 'similar' to something else. this construction DOES NOT clarify IN WHAT WAY(S) the two things are similar.

obviously, the context for this sort of thing will be different.

in fact, after a bit of thinking, i can only come up with ONE type of context in which this sort of thing would make sense:
• i'm telling you about something with which you are NOT familiar;
• that thing RESEMBLES something with which you ARE familiar.

e.g.,
Similar to the épée used in fencing, the estoc is a thrusting weapon that resembles a sword but does not have a cutting blade.
--> if i'm writing for an audience that already knows what an épée is, but does NOT know what an estoc is, then this sentence makes sense.

[RonPurewal]

also, even that ^^ would be unlikely—because it's still bad writing. if i'm writing a sentence whose purpose is to INTRODUCE the idea of an 'estoc', then, if i'm a good writer, i won't bury the word 'estoc' in the middle of the sentence. rather, i'll write something like this:
The estoc, similar to the épée used in fencing, is a thrusting weapon that resembles a sword but does not have a cutting blade.

--

[RonPurewal]

to sum up:

SHORT STORY:
• it is very, very, VERY unlikely that a correct SC sentence will contain 'similar to...' as a modifier.

LONG STORY:
• for this construction to be correct, you need a very particular kind of context, including an assumption that the reader is familiar with whatever is used as a reference for comparison.
• even in the (very unlikely) event that this construction IS used properly, it will almost certainly NOT be used at the beginning of the sentence.

[qianruS779]

Awesome , thank you very much for your request.

Best regards

[qianruS779]

I forget to say sorry that I posed the same topic in several times. It was not my intention, because my question did not show up in the forum after I posted it, I repeated to do so in order to make sure that my question was able to show up in the forum.

Sorry for that! It will not happen again.

[tim]

Glad to hear Ron's explanation helped!

[RonPurewal]

I forget to say sorry that I posed the same topic in several times. It was not my intention, because my question did not show up in the forum after I posted it, I repeated to do so in order to make sure that my question was able to show up in the forum.

Sorry for that! It will not happen again.

if this ^^ happens, then the most likely meaning is that your posts have gotten trapped in the 'needs moderation' queue.

in other words, you posted something that the system mistook for 'spam'. (there are a lot of pretty random keywords in the spam filter; in other words, this is not a personal affront.)

in this case your posts are not lost; they are merely 'held', in a sort of purgatory, until one of us (moderators) approves them.

[CrystalSpringston]

the point of Like X, Y does zzzzz is to express the idea that BOTH 'X' and 'Y' do whatever 'zzzzzz' is—and that the similarity stops there. in other words, 'X' and 'Y' may have other similarities—but they may be completely different in every other imaginable way.)

e.g.,
Like my brother, I enjoy stupid jokes.
--> BOTH my brother and i enjoy stupid jokes.
--> apart from this, we might have nothing else in common at all.

this is very clearly the context in the example at hand.

Hi Ron, I have to say I am overwhelmed by the beautiful explanation of the usage of "like" and " similiar to". But I have one question regarding the LIKE. I cannot understand why"apart from this, we might have nothing else in common at all." in the example. I am a non-native speaker and I fail to catch that underlying meaning here. Pls help . Thank you!

[RonPurewal]

the point of Like X, Y does zzzzz is to express only this one specific similarity between 'X' and 'Y'.

the 'x' and the 'y' MAY be similar in other ways, too; they may not. that isn't the point.
the point is to focus only on this one specific point of similarity.

e.g., here are 2 totally OK sentences:
Like a whale, a dolphin has fins.
Like a 1954 Buick Skylark, a dolphin has fins.
(a '54 skylark was a big american car with fins in the back)

each of these sentences is intended to make one, and only one, point: 'both this thing and that thing have fins.' that's it.
whales and dolphins have lots and lots and lots of other things in common, but that's not relevant here.
'54 buicks and dolphins have almost nothing else at all in common, but that doesn't matter here either.

[CrystalSpringston]

the point of Like X, Y does zzzzz is to express only this one specific similarity between 'X' and 'Y'.

the 'x' and the 'y' MAY be similar in other ways, too; they may not. that isn't the point.
the point is to focus only on this one specific point of similarity.

e.g., here are 2 totally OK sentences:
Like a whale, a dolphin has fins.
Like a 1954 Buick Skylark, a dolphin has fins.
(a '54 skylark was a big american car with fins in the back)

each of these sentences is intended to make one, and only one, point: 'both this thing and that thing have fins.' that's it.
whales and dolphins have lots and lots and lots of other things in common, but that's not relevant here.
'54 buicks and dolphins have almost nothing else at all in common, but that doesn't matter here either.

Thank you. It is clear. I think I misunderstood the meaning that you pointed out.

[tim]

[RonPurewal]

Thank you. It is clear. I think I misunderstood the meaning that you pointed out.

you're welcome.

[Min TsungL365]

Hi Ron,

Thank you first for above detailed clarification!

I have one more question related to this topic: is the usage of "as with" same as "like" or is there any difference between them?

Thanks again in advance!