“Hard to understate” versus “Hard to overstate”
Which is the correct expression - "hard to understate" or "hard to overstate" when trying to use for emphasis? Searching on Google, both expressions appear popular but overstate has about 10x the results.
For example, the Washington Post writes the sentence "It would be hard to understate the positive effect the manufacturer has made in the area." where the effect was legitimately very positive. This seems counter intuitive.
Is either variant correct in the same way "could/couldn't care less" are both common expressions?
expressions
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
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Which is the correct expression - "hard to understate" or "hard to overstate" when trying to use for emphasis? Searching on Google, both expressions appear popular but overstate has about 10x the results.
For example, the Washington Post writes the sentence "It would be hard to understate the positive effect the manufacturer has made in the area." where the effect was legitimately very positive. This seems counter intuitive.
Is either variant correct in the same way "could/couldn't care less" are both common expressions?
expressions
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
add a comment |
Which is the correct expression - "hard to understate" or "hard to overstate" when trying to use for emphasis? Searching on Google, both expressions appear popular but overstate has about 10x the results.
For example, the Washington Post writes the sentence "It would be hard to understate the positive effect the manufacturer has made in the area." where the effect was legitimately very positive. This seems counter intuitive.
Is either variant correct in the same way "could/couldn't care less" are both common expressions?
expressions
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
Which is the correct expression - "hard to understate" or "hard to overstate" when trying to use for emphasis? Searching on Google, both expressions appear popular but overstate has about 10x the results.
For example, the Washington Post writes the sentence "It would be hard to understate the positive effect the manufacturer has made in the area." where the effect was legitimately very positive. This seems counter intuitive.
Is either variant correct in the same way "could/couldn't care less" are both common expressions?
expressions
expressions
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
asked 5 hours ago
GBa
3442514
3442514
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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We correctly use "hard to overstate" about things which are at, or near, the maximum or high end of some scale. It is hard to overstate the danger of touching high-voltage wires. It is hard to overstate the destructive power of an atomic bomb.
We use "hard to understate" about things which are at, or near, the minimum or lower end of some scale. It is hard to understate the fun there is to be had at a funeral. It was hard to understate what you could see from the cheap seats at a Neil Diamond concert.
It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here and here. Similar topic ("cannot/must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse.
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
1
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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oldest
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oldest
votes
We correctly use "hard to overstate" about things which are at, or near, the maximum or high end of some scale. It is hard to overstate the danger of touching high-voltage wires. It is hard to overstate the destructive power of an atomic bomb.
We use "hard to understate" about things which are at, or near, the minimum or lower end of some scale. It is hard to understate the fun there is to be had at a funeral. It was hard to understate what you could see from the cheap seats at a Neil Diamond concert.
It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here and here. Similar topic ("cannot/must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse.
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
1
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
We correctly use "hard to overstate" about things which are at, or near, the maximum or high end of some scale. It is hard to overstate the danger of touching high-voltage wires. It is hard to overstate the destructive power of an atomic bomb.
We use "hard to understate" about things which are at, or near, the minimum or lower end of some scale. It is hard to understate the fun there is to be had at a funeral. It was hard to understate what you could see from the cheap seats at a Neil Diamond concert.
It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here and here. Similar topic ("cannot/must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse.
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
1
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
We correctly use "hard to overstate" about things which are at, or near, the maximum or high end of some scale. It is hard to overstate the danger of touching high-voltage wires. It is hard to overstate the destructive power of an atomic bomb.
We use "hard to understate" about things which are at, or near, the minimum or lower end of some scale. It is hard to understate the fun there is to be had at a funeral. It was hard to understate what you could see from the cheap seats at a Neil Diamond concert.
It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here and here. Similar topic ("cannot/must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse.
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
We correctly use "hard to overstate" about things which are at, or near, the maximum or high end of some scale. It is hard to overstate the danger of touching high-voltage wires. It is hard to overstate the destructive power of an atomic bomb.
We use "hard to understate" about things which are at, or near, the minimum or lower end of some scale. It is hard to understate the fun there is to be had at a funeral. It was hard to understate what you could see from the cheap seats at a Neil Diamond concert.
It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here and here. Similar topic ("cannot/must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse.
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
edited 4 hours ago
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
answered 5 hours ago
Michael Harvey
5,56211019
5,56211019
1
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
1
1
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Your funeral example seems backwards to me: since very little fun is usually had at funerals, it’s very hard to understate how much fun is had, or very hard overstate how little fun is had. If you understate how little fun is had, you’re back to overstating how much fun is had. Aren’t implicit double (triple? Quadruple?) negatives fun?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
5 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
Yup. I have been thinking the same thing. Likewise Neil Diamond. Answer edited. Thanks.
– Michael Harvey
4 hours ago
add a comment |
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