Is "A is associated with B" equivalent to "B is associated with A?" [closed]
Can we use equivalently "A is associated with B" and "B is associated with A"??
Solution 1:
In layman's terms (not invoking formal/academic logic in the answer)... an English speaker might assume that one implies the other, especially if there's no need for clarification on what 'associated' entails.
However grammar typically (but not always) places the subject towards the beginning of the sentence, and the object towards the end. The object in a sentence being the entity that is acted upon by the subject.
"James fed the dogs" leaves the dogs as the object being acted upon but James as the subject.
Where "associated" calls for more clarification, it can be too vague a term, and the inverse is NOT identical:
This garbage collection company is associated with the mafia
The mafia is associated with this garbage collection company
1 implies you are concerned with this garbage collection company in particular - maybe the existence of the mafia is a given, but you wish to discuss the garbage collection company.
2 implies you wish to discuss the mafia in particular - our discussion will revolve around the mafia and their attributes more than the company itself.
These are not hard rules but whichever one you begin with would be the one I assume you think is the subject of discussion.