Same meaning, different expression

"Penalties should be imposed on anyone who violates the law, to the same extent without taking into account the violator's gender."

(To cast means to throw--except for the narrow use in metalurgy, in which to cast means to pour molten metal into a mold--and the preposition which is most commonly employed with the verb to cast is at. As in: "He was so angry, he continually cast dark glances at his brother." The noun level in such a usage usually has the sense of referring to an actual physical condition [the water reached a high level], or it refers to a known standard [These were obviously high level talks, as the Secretary of State participated.] The use of the term violator is rather awkward also. It is not necessarily incorrect, but i don't think most English speakers would ordinarily use the term. A better term might be "the accused," as in " . . . taking into account the accused's gender.")

Your number two is actually a very elegantly constructed sentence, but slightly unclear. You might make it "same punishment for transgressions"; and about the other only comment i would make is that "upon" might more ordinarily be used than "on," as in:

"The same punishment for transgressions should be visited with equal severity upon both man and woman."

A transgression is a crime (a violation of society's law) or a sin (a violation of god's law) for which a punishment might be visited upon the accused. I like your last sentence, the idea is well expressed, and the language has a nice ring to it.

Setanta, great explanations.

For some reason I wish to turn "man and woman" into "men and women."

I have no idea why this is so, except that it *feels* right.

If this is unhelpful, oristar, I'm sorry, but thought I'd mention it.

Joe, either locution would be correct--man and woman could stand for the archetypes--men and women would simply refer to the aggregate. I know what you mean about the "feel" of a locution. One of the difficulties in editing such things as Oristar posts is to be able to explain why something "feels" right, and another doesn't.

I agree with you Joe!

oristar, I know! I know!

Setanta, I knew there must be an explanation. Thank you.

Now if I could only get a handle on *tone.* I marvel at the seemingly effortless way some posters have of conveying their meaning.

Set,

Should there be another comma in this?



To read: "Penalties should be imposed on anyone who violates the law, to the same extent, without taking into account the violator's gender."



I love commas