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follow ... very closely

English translation: Options

13:07 Oct 10, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Linguistics
English term or phrase: follow ... very closely
In this edition, published in collaboration with ....., ten factors fo economic freedom in 161 countries are analysed in order to follow the process that leads to economic prosperity very closely.
is this expression correct? or should I say follow very closely the process that leads to.....?
Lakasa Stnorden
Local time: 10:33
Selected answer:Options
Explanation:
in order to follow the process that leads to economic prosperity very closely: correct, but the object is too long (the process that leads to economic prosperity) and, as a result, you lose track of what the adverb (very closely) refers to.

in order to follow very closely the process that leads to economic prosperity: put the adverb between the verb and the object. Some people highly disapprove of this (I don't like it myself).

in order to very closely follow the process that leads to economic prosperity: Split the infitive. Some people would rather you stabbed them in the back.

Rephrase:
in order to keep a close watch on the process that leads to economic prosperity (My preference)
or: keep tabs on
monitor


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 2 mins (2005-10-10 18:09:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Lakasa, I was concentrating too much on the syntactic aspect (what does one do with the adverb in a case like this) that I failed to read the whole sentence properly.
"To follow ... closely" normally means "to keep a close watch on something", but this is not what they mean to say here, as Kenneth and Brie have already pointed out.
What these people do is to study every step of the process. And another problem crops up here: Normally the (implied) subject of the infinitive (after "in order to") should be the same as the subject of "are analysed" (i.e factors etc.).
So my adjective+noun version would be:
...are analysed in order / so as to allow for a careful study / close examination of the process that leads to economic prosperity.
And I'm sure there are other ways of rephrasing this, but I'm sticking to the syntactic principles here.
Selected response from:

Nick Lingris
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:33
Grading comment
Gracias Nick. Excelente tu explicación. Gracias a todos. salud..
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +12Options
Nick Lingris
5 +9seguir...muy de cerca; hacer un seguimiento muy estricto
Walter Landesman
4 +3follow very closely
Heidi C
4para darle seguimiento muy de cerca a la prosperidad económica....
Xenia Wong
4very closely monitor
Dave Calderhead
3track or document
Erin McGann
3rewrite
RHELLER
1 +1to study/ trace carefully
fareedeh ghassemi (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
seguir...muy de cerca; hacer un seguimiento muy estricto


Explanation:
ok

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2005-10-10 13:11:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The expression is correct.

Walter Landesman
Uruguay
Local time: 10:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cameliaim
1 min
  -> Muchas gracias, cameliaim.
agree  Maria Luisa Duarte
3 mins
  -> Gracias, Ma. Luisa.
agree  Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT: Sí Walter. Me parece una buena opción.
5 mins
  -> Gracias, Tomás.
agree  Marsha Wilkie
1 hr
  -> thanx a lot.
agree  Marina Soldati
1 hr
  -> tante grazie, Marina.
agree  Fabiana Yampolsky
1 hr
  -> gracias a lot.
agree  Maria Itati Encinas: seguir de cerca
3 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias.
agree  Yvonne Becker
3 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias, Yvonne.
neutral  Dave Calderhead: I might be able to agree if I could understand all of your answer!
5 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias.
agree  Marina56: Si, seguir...... muy de cerca......
5 hrs
  -> Muchas gracias.
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
follow very closely


Explanation:
I think it is clearer if you leave the phrase together (though it is possible to understand it as it is)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-10-10 13:19:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

in order to follow very closely the process that leads to economic prosperity

Heidi C
Local time: 09:33
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María Roberto (X)
3 mins
  -> thanks María :)
agree  Alexandra Tussing
3 hrs
  -> thanks Alexandra :)
agree  transparx
17 hrs
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
para darle seguimiento muy de cerca a la prosperidad económica....


Explanation:
Está correcto en la oración.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2005-10-10 13:19:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Está bien la expresión de esa manera. Es otra forma de decirlo.

Xenia Wong
Local time: 08:33
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Dave Calderhead: might be able to agree if I could understand all of your answer!
5 hrs
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to study/ trace carefully


Explanation:
to study / trace those factors carefully as well as in detail.

fareedeh ghassemi (X)
Local time: 17:03

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexandra Tussing
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
track or document


Explanation:
precisely document / track / follow
Or you could say "in order to closely follow", for some reason, it sounds strange to my ears to have "very closely" at the end.

Erin McGann
Ireland
Local time: 14:33
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
rewrite


Explanation:
are analyzed in order to reproduce the process that leads to

are analyzed with the goal of reproducing the process

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 07:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 59
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
very closely monitor


Explanation:
... in order to very closely monitor the process that leads to economic prosperity

References:
Finally, the Union will very closely monitor the process of democratic transition in Indonesia, the elections in East Timor and its access to independence. ...
europa-eu-un.org/articles/el/article_162_el.htm

"We are going to very closely monitor the process and the prices of land sales.
www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/5362.html

... It's absolutely incumbent this time that those of us responsible for writing the Law very closely monitor the process," said Rep. ...
secure.edweek.org/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=26esea.h21


Dave Calderhead
Netherlands
Local time: 15:33
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +12
Options


Explanation:
in order to follow the process that leads to economic prosperity very closely: correct, but the object is too long (the process that leads to economic prosperity) and, as a result, you lose track of what the adverb (very closely) refers to.

in order to follow very closely the process that leads to economic prosperity: put the adverb between the verb and the object. Some people highly disapprove of this (I don't like it myself).

in order to very closely follow the process that leads to economic prosperity: Split the infitive. Some people would rather you stabbed them in the back.

Rephrase:
in order to keep a close watch on the process that leads to economic prosperity (My preference)
or: keep tabs on
monitor


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 2 mins (2005-10-10 18:09:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Lakasa, I was concentrating too much on the syntactic aspect (what does one do with the adverb in a case like this) that I failed to read the whole sentence properly.
"To follow ... closely" normally means "to keep a close watch on something", but this is not what they mean to say here, as Kenneth and Brie have already pointed out.
What these people do is to study every step of the process. And another problem crops up here: Normally the (implied) subject of the infinitive (after "in order to") should be the same as the subject of "are analysed" (i.e factors etc.).
So my adjective+noun version would be:
...are analysed in order / so as to allow for a careful study / close examination of the process that leads to economic prosperity.
And I'm sure there are other ways of rephrasing this, but I'm sticking to the syntactic principles here.


Nick Lingris
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:33
Native speaker of: Native in GreekGreek
PRO pts in category: 52
Grading comment
Gracias Nick. Excelente tu explicación. Gracias a todos. salud..

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cmwilliams (X): Yes, I'd rephrase it if possible. 'To follow very closely the process...' doesn't sound natural to me in English.
47 mins
  -> Thanks for sharing my sensibilities ;-}
agree  Ken Cox: personally, I'd say 'closely examine/study the process'
1 hr
  -> I'm an infinitive splitter myself when I have to. The non-splitter's alternative would be "in order very closely to follow"... / And you're quite right about the *meaning* of the sentence too.
agree  Brie Vernier: with Kenneth, but nicely put, Nick
1 hr
  -> I was too engrossed in the problem of the syntax to consider semantics :-}
agree  Alexandra Tussing
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Alexandra.
agree  Johan Venter
2 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  Dave Calderhead: I should have read you full explanation first, Nick! I can do nothing else but agree with you on this, but, as a Startrek lover (but not a "Trekkie") I also like my split infinities/sorry infinitives, like Kenneth. (:-{)>// to seriously divide?/or hairs!
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Dave. Linguistically, I have no problem with split infinitives. But as a non-native speaker of English, I try very hard not to stomp on people's sensibilities in a matter that has split a nation. // Oh stop it! This is side-splitting!
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Vicky!
agree  María Roberto (X): Kata edra, as always, thanks, Nick!
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, María (got it right this time).
agree  ------ (X)
8 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  transparx
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Nino.
agree  Camelia Frunză
17 hrs
  -> Thank you, Camelia.
agree  Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
2 days 44 mins
  -> :-}
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