The remarkable similarity of Thule artifacts throughout a vast region can, in part, be explained as a very rapid movement of people from one end of North America to the other.
2 Explanations
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Adam
Logical predication; Grammatical construction; Rhetorical construction
The intended meaning of the sentence is that the rapid movement of people across North America is one explanation of the similarity of Thule artifacts throughout a vast region. As worded, however, the sentence is illogical: The sentence indicates that the similarity in artifacts was a rapid movement of people, which makes no sense. Instead of equating similarity with movement, the sentence needs to identify this movement of people as a cause of similarity among artifacts.
A As worded, this version of the sentence makes the illogical statement that the similarity among artifacts is explainable as a very rapid movement. It should specify that the similarity of artifacts may be a consequence of the rapid population movement.
B This version of the sentence is syntactically awkward and leaves unclear what the main subject — "one explanation" — is supposed to be an explanation of.
C Like (A), this version of the sentence equates the similarity of artifacts with the movement of people, when a causal connection is what is intended.
D Correct. This version adequately expresses the intended causal connection.
E This version is awkward, introducing the causal connection with the unnecessarily wordy and indirect string of prepositional phrases, "with one explanation for this. . . ."
2 Explanations