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Gene93 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

decided vs decidedly

Hello,
What would be the difference between "He spoke with a decidedly foreign accent" and "He spoke with a decided foreign accent"?
"A decided foreign accent" sounds sort of bad to me. I very much prefer the other version, but I don't want to say it's wrong. A decidedly foreign accent would mean "obviously/clearly/ foreign". Anyway, what do you think and which one sounds better to you?

P.S. Can we use definite/definitely instead?
  

Top answer

'decidedly' is the correct choice. A 'decided' foreign accent may well suggest his use of the accent was calculated. 'definite'/'definitely' also carries the meaning you are wanting.

  • 'decidedly' is the correct choice.
  • A 'decided' foreign accent may well suggest his use of the accent was calculated.
  • 'definite'/'definitely' also carries the meaning you are wanting.
  • However 'definitely' puts its emphasis unambiguously on 'foreign' (not all accents are foreign).
  • d
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3 Answers
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'decidedly' is the correct choice.
A 'decided' foreign accent may well suggest his use of the accent was calculated.

'definite'/'definitely' also carries the meaning you are wanting. However 'definitely' puts its emphasis unambiguously on 'foreign' (not all accents are foreign).

d
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Thank you. Excuse me for asking, but if an accent is decidedly foreign, wouldn't it definitely be foreign? Emotion: smile It's clearly foreign. De
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Agreeing with you, 'decidely' is similar to 'definitely' and they highlight 'foreign' (that was what my post had meant to convey!)

> An accent that's not foreign would be a dialect.
As I would see it,
'accent' is the pronunciation of words (without changing the words themselves) - so just the 'music' of speaking;
'dialect' is the use of entirely different words and g

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