"over" = (in comparisons) to; PLUS "apples-to-apples"

[Jonathan Lighter]

I

CNN reports about comparing economic figures "month over month and year over
year," i.e. 2009 in comparison to 2008, October 2009 to October 2008, etc.

I suppose it's thought to be more precise than "to" because it seems (at
least in these cases) to require  complete commensurability.

But look for that nuance to change some day.

II

One of those Progressive Insurance ads that take place in Insurance Heaven
where everything is white but the individualized boxes of "insurance," and
there are no walls, just a goofily affable checkout clerk and a silent
inventory assistant or two (how do you *get* to that place anyway?) says
that "We compare [competitive policies] apples-to-apples."

The Progressive website says (in May, 2008), "The rate comparisons we offer
are always apples-to-apples."

Makes sense. Just new. To me.

JL
--
"There You Go Again...Using Reason on the Planet of the Duck-Billed
Platypus"

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