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Taka Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

clever/smart

It is clever of the crows to make their nests in such tall trees.

My book says it is impossible to replace 'clever' with 'smart', otherwise it would change the meaning; it says 'It is smart of X to do' means 'X had better do.'

Is it necessarily so?
  

Top answer

From a BrE point of view "clever" is the colloquial term for the slightly more formal "intelligent," but the nuance is slight. In the UK you do hear "smart" to mean "clever" but it is AmE. An American would say "Lisa Simpson is smart" but an English person would say that she is "clever".

— Rwiles

  • From a BrE point of view "clever" is the colloquial term for the slightly more formal "intelligent," but the nuance is slight.
  • In the UK you do hear "smart" to mean "clever" but it is AmE.
  • An American would say "Lisa Simpson is smart" but an English person would say that she is "clever".
  • Of course you should be aware that "smart" is the usual BrE word to mean "well dressed" or "tidy" or "well cared for".
  • Clever, in AE, implies cunning, quick-witted, sharp, possibly sneaky.
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14 Answers
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From a BrE point of view "clever" is the colloquial term for the slightly more formal "intelligent," but the nuance is slight. In the UK you do hear "smart" to mean "clever" but it is AmE. An American would say "Lisa Simpson is smart" but an English person would say that she is "clever".

Of course you should be aware that "smart" is the usual BrE word to mean "well dressed" or "tidy" or "
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Very interesting, Rwiles,

The briefest way for me to put how I understand AmE usage, relative to the crow-like circumstance, is:

clever = resourceful

smart = knowledgeable
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'It is smart of X to do' means 'X had better do.'

Dear Taka,

It is unfortunately not quite so. For «X had better do» you may say «it would be smart of X to do» or «if X is smart, he will do».

Kind regards,
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DavkettVery interesting, Rwiles,

The briefest way for me to put how I understand AmE usage, relative to the crow-like circumstance, is:

clever = resourceful

smart = knowledgeable

So, there woudn't be much difference even if I replaced it with 'smart'?
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Of 'resourceful' and 'knowledgeable', each has a quite different 'ring' to me; and I would not generally replace one with the other.

'Resourceful' has an emphasis on the practicality of one's knowledge.
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But at least it's not like ''It is smart of X to do' = 'X had better do.' ', as goldmund pointed out, right?
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Taka,

I was pretty good with Xs and Ys in algebra many years ago, but I get confused when they are used in grammar formulas.
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Hello Taka

I would interpret "it is smart (of X to do Y)" as a simple statement, rather than a recommendation. Though it might be different in an IF statement:

1. If you're smart, you'll play dumb, okay?

i.e. 'keep your mouth shut'.

MrP
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Thank you, MrP.

And sorry about the confusion, davkett. You can replace the X with you, him, her, or whatever.
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Yeh, Taka, I know what to do with the Xs and Ys...and I understand the wisdom in using abstractions to talk about principles rather particulars. I'd just rather talk about crows. There's a wonderful poem on the subject by D. H. Lawrence, if only I can find it.

...Later...found it!

From "Demiurge":

They say that reality exists only in the spirit
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