Are these sentences fine?

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Hi! Could you please tell me whether the grammar of these (random) sentences is fine or not?

- We are seen as being a little too revolutionary.
- We are depicted as being a little too reactionary.
-We are written off as a bit crazy.
- We are described as crazy.
- Women are often described as being a bit shallow.
-Some women are viewed as more shallow than others.
- Men can be described as shallow as well.
-We found their words a little alien.
-We feel a bit alien in this kind of environment.
-Some concepts could sound a little or even utterly alien to our culture.
-Their ideas seem/ appear totally alien to us.
- The new political movement made some members entirely alien to power.
-We are alien to power.
-We feel alien to politics.
-Doctrines wholly alien to the Word of God were dismissed as radical.
-Doctrines completely alien to the Word of God could be viewed as original as well as revolutionary.
-We are aliens (illegal immigrants)
-Scientists claim that we might be aliens. (extraterrestrial creatures)
-They made us feel like strangers.
-I found her words (a bit/ a little) contradictory.
-I regard her words as being contradictory.
-Our actions are written off as somewhat (rather )fascist.
-Our actions are dismissed as fascist.
-We may come across as fascist ./ We may come across as fascists.
-They portray us as being somewhat (rather) fascist.
-Some men come across as perverts.
-I see them as perverts.
-Some politicians are written off as corrupt.
- Our causes have become a little more noble over the years.
-Their songs sound a little too contemporary.
- This helped them make their songs sound a little more contemporary.
-Some typically American expressions make us sound a lot more American.
-It's high (about) time we made things more fair.
- The more goals we achieve, the more confident we become.

I know that these sentences could make no sense, but I am interested in their grammar.

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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 1,331 • Replies: 29

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View best answer, chosen by Dracarys

Why, they're just as fine as frog hair.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

Pardon my ignorance , but what do you mean by "as fine as frog hair"?

1 Reply

@Dracarys,

It's a humor expression. It's southern USA expression that requires an imagination. If you can visualize a frog with hair, it'd be incredibly fine. Playing off the other meaning of the word fine (as in high resolution or very thin).

1 Reply

@Ragman,

Thank you, Ragman!
In layman's terms, does it mean that those sentences are OK or not?

1 Reply

@Dracarys,

Yes. Setanta has never steered me wrong (nor have his frogs).

0 Replies

@Dracarys,

OT Drac but from a purely journ viewpoint some a bit awkward. For instance I'd omit "being." But are you at all interested in crits other than grammatical

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

OT Drac but from a purely journ viewpoint some a bit awkward. For instance I'd omit "being." Also at first glance there's the rep in "Men can be described as shallow as well" But are you at all interested in crits other than grammatical

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

Thank you, dalehileman! So, would you rephrase those sentences with "being" in the following way?
- We are seen as a little too revolutionary.
- We are depicted as a little too reactionary.
-Women are often described as a bit shallow.
-They portray us as somewhat (rather) fascist.

As far as "- Men can be described as shallow as well." is concerned, I think I have linked it to a previous sentence.
-Would the sentence "Men can be described as shallow" sound fine?

I was essentially interested in the grammar of those examples ( the use of expressions I am not familiar with and the grammar of adjectives and nouns), but I am open to crits as well.

1 Reply

@Dracarys,

Quote:

So, would you rephrase those sentences with "being" in the following way?

Yes Drac I would

Quote:

'As far as "- Men can be described as shallow as well." is concerned, I think I have linked it to a previous sentence.

I quite understand. One might write, eg, "Men too can be described as shallow"

Quote:

-Would the sentence "Men can be described as shallow" sound fine?

Yes though of course you've lost its alsoness

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

Thank you for everything and especially for the sentence "Men too can be described as shallow". Is there anything else that could sound clumsy or grammatically wrong?

0 Replies

@Dracarys,

Quote:

-Some concepts could sound a little or even utterly alien to our culture.

"Some concepts could sound" is a trace hissy; maybe I'd say "might sound"

""a little or even utterly" for some reason grates. I mighta writ frinstance, "a bit alien to our culture, some utterly so" or "might sound almost contrary to our culture, in some cases utterly alien"

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@Dracarys,

Quote:

a little more noble

I might've said "nobler"

Quote:

-Their songs sound a little too contemporary.

A bit redundant. Their songs struck me as…

Quote:

-Some typically American expressions make us sound a lot more American.

Ditto. Maybe an attempt to use typically American expressions would make us seem as more nearly native

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

Thank you! I have another structure I would like you to have a look at.
Do the following sentences sound OK?
-We like to think of ourselves as essential. / We like to consider ourselves essential.
-Workers are thought of as essential./ Workers are considered essential.
-We think of these things as essential./ We consider these things essential.

-We think of ourselves as individuals, rather than as members of a group./ We consider ourselves individuals, rather than members of a group.
-We are thought of as individuals ,rather than as members of a group./We are considered individuals, rather than members of a group.
-We think of them as individuals, rather than as members of a group./ We consider them individuals, rather than members of a group.

-We think of ourselves as exceptional./ We consider ourselves exceptional.
-Some children are thought of as exceptional./ Some children are considered exceptional.
-We think of their skills as exceptional./ We consider their skills exceptional.

I hope I will not bother you anymore.

2 Replies

@Dracarys,

Quote:

-We like to think of ourselves as essential. /

Okay

Quote:

We like to consider ourselves essential.

I'd have omitted "like to" as it seems a little redundant. I might even delete "as"

Will get back to you Drac

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

So, would you say "We think of ourselves essential" and "We consider ourselves essential"? What about the other sentences?

2 Replies

@Dracarys,

No. What we might say would be: "We think of ourselves as essential."

1 Reply

@Ragman,

Thank you! What do you think of my other examples with the same structure?

1 Reply

@Dracarys,

It seems to me they are all identical or nearly identical examples. Therefore, the same answer should apply.

Are these sentences fine?

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