Villages were not electrified

[Mr. Tom 1]

Hi

Is the use of electrified correct English in this sentence?

Said by a prime minister of a country

When I became Prime Minister, many towns and villages in the country were not electrified. [=did not have electricity]

Thanks,

Tom

 

[emsr2d2]

Said by a prime minister of a country

That's not enough information for the source. Please name the prime minister and where you found the quote. You can, if necessary, tell us which country they are/were the prime minister of.

 

[Mr. Tom 1]

Thank you, emsr2d2 -- it was Benazie Bhutto in one of her early interviews (available on Youtube) when she became prime minister of Pakistan. Although she spoke beautiful English, many of the expressions she used were not natural English (I have been told.)

Warm regards,

Tom

 

[jutfrank]

I won't be forced to say it's absolutely incorrect but I do think it's a poor word choice.

 

[tedmc]

I would just say "were without electricity". "Electrified" sounds technical.

 

[jutfrank]

'Electrified' sounds like people might die.

Yes, tedmc, I agree that 'without electricity' is much better.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's fine for me. In the US we had (and have, no government program ever ends) a Rural Electrification Administration. The goal wasn't to kill people.

 

[probus]

India, right next door to Pakistan, had a similar program in the 1970s when Indira Ghandi was its prime minister, and it was officially titled the Rural Electrification Project.