comparism, n. the act of comparing two subjects in a skewed way, or without objectivity; an unequal comparison.
From the Latin comparationem, "make equal" and prisma, "something sawed".
The word comparism is today heard mainly in legal and academic circles, where archaic language still has its place. But perhaps the most famous account of comparism was that which culminated in the drafting of the Scottish Advertising Act of 1924.
The Act's drafting was prompted by the much-documented Haggis Debacle, which saw thousands of Scots riot when they discovered that Fat Sporran, the most popular brand of haggis available at the time, was not, in fact, "the best on the market", as advertised. In fact, it was only the best Aberdeen-made haggis on the market, Black's Haggis from Perth having been, in an unbiased taste test, deemed far superior by the Scots Haggis Appreciation Society that year.
Fat Sporran advertising entailed blatant comparism, and the shopping public were not impressed. The ensuing riots lasted three days and ended only when the Fat Sporran executives recalled all their stock to the factory and burned it in a ceremonial bonfire, as demanded by their hapless customers.
The legislation that resulted reads:
"1.3.23 Comparism: no advertisement may use comparism to attempt either to present a product's or service's benefits as being greater than they are, or to downplay or otherwise misrepresent the benefits of competitors' offerings."
Said Fergus Fergus, QC, at the Act's release in a press conference at which samples of Fat Sporran were analysed under microscope and, memorably, fed alternately with Black's Haggis to reporters,
"This was a clear attempt to mislead the Scottish public through comparism! We will not stand for the desecration of haggis through such baldfaced deceits!"
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