"Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong?

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#166810 - 03/14/07 05:37 PM "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong?
heni79 stranger Registered: 05/01/03 Posts: 12	I have a dilemma of semantic nature. I would love to hear everyone's opinions. Read the following sentence: "Our results could help STING to enhance the strengths of the program and improve its weaknesses." Let's focus on this part of the sentence: "improve its weaknesses." In this sense it means 'eliminate/lessen weaknesses'. It DOES NOT mean 'heighten weaknesses'. 1. Do you think the intended meaning of the sentence comes across adequately? 2. Would you say it is flat out incorrect to use the above mentioned phrasing? 3. Do you think there is any semantic difference between "improve its weaknesses" and "improve on/upon its weaknesses"? If a preposition is added (on/upon), does that clarify the meaning of the sentence in any way? Does it REALLY serve anything, or is it just a 'filler'? A bet is riding on this, so I hope everyone will give their input regarding this issue. Thanks! Heni
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#166814 - 03/14/07 08:12 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: heni79]
Zed Pooh-Bah Registered: 08/27/02 Posts: 2154 Loc: British Columbia, Canada	Hi Heni I understand what is meant quite clearly but I would still call it incorrect. On/upon sounds correct though. (did I win anything??)
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#166818 - 03/14/07 08:22 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: heni79]
sjmaxq Carpal Tunnel Registered: 07/20/03 Posts: 3230 Loc: Te Ika a Maui	Would replacing "improve" with "ameliorate" be allowable? _________________________ noho ora mai http://maxqnzs.com/References.html
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#166819 - 03/14/07 08:50 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: Zed]
heni79 stranger Registered: 05/01/03 Posts: 12	Originally Posted By: Zed I would still call it incorrect. On/upon sounds correct though. (did I win anything??) But why exactly is it incorrect? And how come it is correct when you add on/upon? Doesn't it have the exact same meaning as before? When I read the two alternatives aloud to myself, they had the same meaning to me. Is it just me? I should point out that I am not a naitive speaker of English. Thanks for responding to my message, BTW! :-) Heni
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#166820 - 03/14/07 08:56 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: sjmaxq]
heni79 stranger Registered: 05/01/03 Posts: 12	Originally Posted By: sjmaxq Would replacing "improve" with "ameliorate" be allowable? I discussed this with a friend (replacing "improve"), and the best alternative that we could come up with was "amend its weaknesses." But if I absolutely want to keep "improve", is the preposition really necessary? Thanks for posting your input! :-) Heni
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#166821 - 03/14/07 09:07 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: heni79]
olly old hand Registered: 12/18/06 Posts: 932 Loc: Auckland, New Zealand	Kia ora Heni, At first glance I read 'Lessen weaknesses' then I saw the the error, i.e.'Heighten weaknesses' so, 1. Yes, In context it would be read as intended. 2. Yes, it is incorrect. 3. Why not, 'Lessen it's weaknesses' Are you for it being o.k.?
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#166822 - 03/14/07 09:24 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: heni79]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 10462 Loc: this too shall pass	I think that "improve (upon) its weaknesses" is a weak construction in either case, although use of the prep. soounds slightly better. You want to lessen or mitigate or alleviate its weaknesses. as to improve v. improve upon: The difference between these two may be that in the latter you are coming up with something separate. If you improve my recipe, you modify my recipe. If you improve upon it, you are coming up with a separate recipe of your own touted to be better.
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#166848 - 03/15/07 12:27 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: tsuwm]
ParkinT enthusiast Registered: 10/30/06 Posts: 293 Loc: Orlando	I agree that "improve its weaknesses" is contrary to the intended meaning. It would be better to simply state, "reduce its weaknesses". _________________________ "I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton
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#166850 - 03/15/07 12:27 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: heni79]
Myridon addict Registered: 10/24/05 Posts: 557 Loc: Dallas, TX	I agree that it is obvious what you mean even though it's not what you say. IMO, "improve upon" is worse than "improve". As said above, I'd say it almost means we'll come up with new and improved weaknesses. I'd just change the word - ameliorate is a little obscure, so how about "overcome its weaknesses", "triumph over its weaknesses", etc.
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#166858 - 03/15/07 02:36 PM Re: "Improve its weaknesses" - Right or wrong? [Re: heni79]
Aramis addict Registered: 05/17/05 Posts: 456 Loc: SE US	1. No. It is likely to be understood anyway since a literal interpretation will be dismissed as nonsense [especially by the apologist crowd (They know who they are) ]. 2. Yes, unless the literal meaning is intended. 3. Yes. "[I]mprove on/upon" at least lends a degree of separation between the verb and object, albeit not as an adequate improvement. Agreed that "improve upon" does sound as if to imply replacement vice adjustment, but it still 'improves upon' the lame construction given. _________________________ ÅΓª╥┐↕§
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