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> 人と比べるのではなく、過去の自分と比べる。  
>  Do not compare yourself to other people, compare yourself to your past
> self.

Without any change in meaning, (though I guess it would be less formal in
tone), could the writer have just used the -ない form of 比べる instead of
nominalising it and then negating the nominalisation?

> 人と比べなく、過去の自分と比べる。
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-17T09:28:33.577
12852
2013-09-17T10:43:19.217
3848
question
grammar
Replacing a negative nominalised verb with a ない-form
人と比べなく sounds a bit strange...

The negation is not the act of comparing, but the whole action of comparing to
others.

In this sentence のではなく also gives an impression of strong advice or
suggestion, as well as introducing an alternative. Perhaps 人と比べることをせず, 人と比べずに,
or 人と比べないで might have been used instead.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-17T10:43:19.217
12853
2013-09-17T10:43:19.217
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12852
answer