Skip to main content

With each new solution, we glimpse a bit more of the overall pattern of nature. As with a crossword, so with the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way to form a coherent unity, so that the more clues we solve, the easier we find it to fill in the missing features. (source)

Are <As> and <so> the same?

Is so a preposition? 

I don't understand the grammatical structure of <so with>.

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Hi, GBLSU,

@GBLSU posted:

With each new solution, we glimpse a bit more of the overall pattern of nature. As with a crossword, so with the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way to form a coherent unity, so that the more clues we solve, the easier we find it to fill in the missing features. (source)

Although we can come across this sentence, I'm not sure its punctuation works very well. Both "as" and "so" work similarly in that there is ellipsis of some elements, but they are not interchangeable. This is how I understand the sentence and why I think its punctuation is faulty:

- Just as it happens with a crossword, the same thing happens with the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way ...

Last edited by Gustavo, Co-Moderator

Hi, GBLSU,

Although we can come across this sentence, I'm not sure its punctuation works very well. Both "as" and "so" work similarly in that there is ellipsis of some elements, but they are not interchangeable. This is how I understand the sentence and why I think its punctuation is faulty:

- Just as it happens with a crossword, the same thing happens with the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way ...

Thank you, but I have a question for your explanation.

Do I have to put a conjunction like below?

- Just as it happens with a crossword, like the same thing happens with the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way ...

@GBLSU posted:


Just as it happens with a crossword, like the same thing happens with the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way ...

No, the sentence above does not work. There should be some linker between "physical universe" and the solutions belonging to that world, for example:

- Just as it happens with a crossword,the same thing happens with the physical universe, where we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way to form a coherent unity, so that the more clues we solve, the easier we find it to fill in the missing features.

Or, more simply:

- Both in a crossword and in the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way to form a coherent unity, so that the more clues we solve, the easier we find it to fill in the missing features.

Last edited by Gustavo, Co-Moderator

No, the sentence above does not work. There should be some linker between "physical universe" and the solutions belonging to that world, for example:

- Just as it happens with a crossword,the same thing happens with the physical universe, where we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way to form a coherent unity, so that the more clues we solve, the easier we find it to fill in the missing features.

Or, more simply:

- Both in a crossword and in the physical universe, we find that the solutions to independent clues link together in a consistent and supportive way to form a coherent unity, so that the more clues we solve, the easier we find it to fill in the missing features.

Thank you.

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×