Odd Comparative Structure: "X is better than Y is better than Z"

Question

For context, here's the relevant paragraph

From my chats with low-level IRGC functionaries, I understood there to be a ranking of sorts as to which foreign prisoners fetch the highest price. Complete foreigners are generally more valuable than dual-nationals. Western Europe is better than Eastern Europe is better than Japan. The Chinese whisk their citizens away in a matter of months; detainees from the developing world can expect to serve their sentences in full. Americans and Israelis are the most expensive hostages to extract, and are therefore the most coveted.

Source: The Atlantic: Iran Will Keep Taking Hostages If the Money Keeps Flowing - this is behind a login, unfortunately.

This sentence highlighted in bold seems to me to be a run-on sentence. Is that a typo or maybe some structure that I don't know about？

Particularly, which is better than Japan？

@MichaelHarvey That's not a valid reason to close the question. If you think OP needs to quote more of the article in order for it to be clear or explain the context, say that. But people are allowed to ask about any source they want, even if it's (say) a rare book which can only be bought from scalpers on Amazon for $300. — Laurel, Aug 28 '23 at 11:47
I can't read this article either. It requires a login. However, if you can access the article, then you should quote part of it here in your question. We often need more context to answer questions like this. The sentence is technically not grammatical though, but has probably been worded that way for effect. — Billy Kerr, Aug 28 '23 at 11:47
I've now managed to find the article on an internet archive, and added a quote to your question for context. — Billy Kerr, Aug 28 '23 at 12:01
I’m voting to close this question because it erroneously conflates algebraic notation with natural language syntax — FumbleFingers, Aug 28 '23 at 16:33
@FumbleFingers It's being used in natural language by an Atlantic journalist. Sometimes people use constructions derived from algebraic notation in natural speech. — Kaia, Aug 28 '23 at 18:26
@Kaia: Sometimes native speakers make "mistakes". But ELL isn't here to encourage that. — FumbleFingers, Aug 28 '23 at 19:18
@FumbleFingers this isn't a mistake, it's a standard rhetorical thing you will commonly encounter in writing. Sorry that it doesn't fit into your schema for "What Is English", but it's something anybody learning English will encounter at some point. Many rhetorical devices break standard rules to achieve an effect. A fragment is typically incorrect, but you will commonly encounter them in written and spoken English. Vote to close https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/56297/these-look-like-fragments-help-me-to-understand-why-they-are-okay-to-use while you're at it? — Kaia, Aug 28 '23 at 20:01
@Kaia: The kind of writers who can reasonably expect to get away with playing fast and loose with standard rules of grammar don't need to come to a site like this to ask permission. People who do need to ask here should be told to avoid mixing up algebra and natural language. — FumbleFingers, Aug 29 '23 at 03:51

Paul Tanenbaum · Answer 1 · 2023-08-28T13:35:12.200

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It’s using what mathematicians call transitivity, as in

3 < 10 < 128.

It means that Western Europe is best, Japan is worst, and Eastern Europe is in between.

Note that this usage is fairly quirky, and not very idiomatic.

edited Aug 28 '23 at 13:35

answered Aug 28 '23 at 11:18

Paul Tanenbaum

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Maybe good to note here that it's technically not grammatical, but has likely been worded that way for effect. I think you are correct about it being maths related, since the article does appear to be about the price Iran can extract from foreign governments for prisoners/hostages. – Billy Kerr Aug 28 '23 at 12:12

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 28 '23 at 20:18

This is an example of asyndeton, the stylistic omission of conjunctions. The standard sentence would be:

Western Europe is better than Eastern Europe, which is better than Japan.

The writer has decided the sentence flows better if "which" is removed.

In general, one should use conjunctions properly, but in some cases a writer might decide to drop a required conjunction or add one that isn't normal (polysyndeton) to change the rhythm or tone of the sentence.

Standard: I need eggs, flour, and cheese.
Asyndeton: I need eggs, flour, cheese.
Polysyndeton: I need eggs and flour and cheese.

Unless you have a good reason, avoid asyndeton and polysyndeton in your own writing. Find more discussion of asyndeton on ELL or on English SE.

Odd Comparative Structure: "X is better than Y is better than Z"

2 Answers2