• xantoxis@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    “gaining on”? IDK about british English, but in the states “gaining on” someone means you’re approaching them from the rear.

    That’s a mighty weird way to say she has greatly increased an already-existing lead over Trump.

    • Nobody@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Some polls have indicated that Trump was gaining on President Joe Biden among this group of voters before Biden decided to step aside as the Democratic nominee.

      However, a new New York Times/Siena College poll sees Harris leading Trump by 19 percentage points among Hispanic voters – 57 to 38 per cent. In June, the same pollster found that Biden was leading among Hispanic voters by a single point – 45 to 44 per cent.

      It makes sense in context. Biden was quickly losing the advantage, and Harris gained it back immediately.

      • calabast@lemm.ee
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        5 months ago

        Even in context, she may be gaining back losses, but the phrase “gaining on Trump” is still incorrect if she is ahead of him.

          • then_three_more@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            No, again that’s coming from behind. You leap ahead of someone like in a game of leapfrog.

            “Pulls ahead of” would have worked as that can mean that she’s behind and then overtakes, or is already ahead and increases that lead.

    • ABCDE@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      For us (UK) it means to catch up to (statistically), we don’t have the colloquialism you do.

      • then_three_more@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Wow word salad.

        1. it’s a British newspaper so it’ll use British terms.

        2. gaining on means to come from behind in British the same as it does in American

        3. the headline is misleading, “pulling ahead of” should have been used but that’s not clickbate enough.

        4. the independent is a piece of shit since it went online only.