 Mon Oct 23, 2006 21:27 pm Find versus show |
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| ktqt47 wrote: | | Why don't they use "statistics find that..." but rather " statistics show that.. "or "reveal that" ? |
Hi ktqt47
Maybe you should look at it this way:
The numbers (statistics) are gathered (by people and/or machines). After these numbers have been compiled, they tell the people who look at them certain things. The numbers indicate things to people who can then make findings and draw conclusions based on what the numbers have revealed. The statistics don't find anything. Rather, they help people to see things. 
Amy
PS
The word 'statistics' is plural. (Note the corrections in the quote.)
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 7443
Location: Northeast US
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