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Anglista2008 Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary
100% synonyms?
Hi,
Are presume, assume, suppose and presuppose 100% interchangeable synonyms, without the slightest difference in meaning?
Thanks!
Are presume, assume, suppose and presuppose 100% interchangeable synonyms, without the slightest difference in meaning?
Thanks!
Top answer
Of course not; very few-- if any-- are. The affix 'pre-' means 'before', and that color is added to the two words here that bear it. Otherwise, differential collocations among synonyms always exist.
- Of course not; very few-- if any-- are.
- The affix 'pre-' means 'before', and that color is added to the two words here that bear it.
- Otherwise, differential collocations among synonyms always exist.
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5 Answers
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Of course not; very few-- if any-- are. The affix 'pre-' means 'before', and that color is added to the two words here that bear it. Otherwise, differential collocations among synonyms always exist.
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Of course not; very few-- if any-- are. The affix 'pre-' means 'before', and that color is added to the two words here that bear it. Otherwise, differential collocations among synonyms always exist.
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hmm... could you provide me with some examples clearly showing the difference? (I have a thesaurus, but it doesn't give any examples) How am I supposed to know how such nuances work like? Sorry for being a pain in the ***...
For instance, in the following sentence I wouldn't know which one fits best:
Even if one is to assume/presume/presuppose and accept the fact that
For instance, in the following sentence I wouldn't know which one fits best:
Even if one is to assume/presume/presuppose and accept the fact that
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How am I supposed to know how such nuances work like?-- Experience. Even dictionaries and thesauri do not have the time, space or patience to try to list them all. And 'what fits best' is often in the mind of the writer. Read, read, read.
Even if one is to assume and accept the fact that the American psyche has been possibly irremediably distorted
How am I supposed to know how such nuances work like?-- Experience. Even dictionaries and thesauri do not have the time, space or patience to try to list them all. And 'what fits best' is often in the mind of the writer. Read, read, read.
Even if one is to assume and accept the fact that the American psyche has been possibly irremediably distorted
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but... why? why can't I use presuppose or presume, or gainsay? this is not supposed to be a typical, everyday sentence but part of academic discourse...
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You can if you wish, I suppose-- I just inserted my choices. Not 'presume' or 'presuppose' because there is no need to indicate a priorness; no 'gainsay' because speaking is not of the essence here.
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You can if you wish, I suppose-- I just inserted my choices. Not 'presume' or 'presuppose' because there is no need to indicate a priorness; no 'gainsay' because speaking is not of the essence here.
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