Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
no less significant a role
English answer:
no less significant a role
Added to glossary by
Rachel Fell
Sep 18, 2005 22:22
18 yrs ago
English term
Ukraine
careful, caring, and perfectionist
Native in: Russian 
, Ukrainian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Ukrainian to English, and 1 more.
no less significant a role
English
Science
Science (general)
scientific writing
The orientation parameter plays no less significant A role here.
Is the indefinite article put in the right place here? What if we place it before "no": ...plays a no less significant role?
Is the indefinite article put in the right place here? What if we place it before "no": ...plays a no less significant role?
Responses
| 4 +8 | no less significant a role |
Rachel Fell
|
| 4 | see explanation |
Lori Utecht/Vívian M Alves
|
Responses
+8
10 mins
Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Thorough, knowledgeable and resourceful
Native in: English (Variant: UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Italian to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
Selected
no less significant a role
It just sounds better this way: the other way you suggest is OK but not as good.
There's a term for this sort of construction but I'm not sure what it is - I expect someone can enlighten us - is it litotes?
There's a term for this sort of construction but I'm not sure what it is - I expect someone can enlighten us - is it litotes?
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you both!"
9 mins
Lori Utecht/Vívian M Alves
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
Passionate. Precise. Professional.
Native in: English , Portuguese
Works in: English, Portuguese to English, English to Portuguese, and 7 more.
see explanation
I believe you are correct in that in can occur in both suggested locations in the sentence. However, it does imply a comparison - for example "no less a significant role THAN . . ." If the previous sentence includes the comparative, then all is well!
Something went wrong...