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Scarf red 164 Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

Formal or informal

How do I know whether a word is formal or informal?

For example, "placate". This is a new word for me.

I tried to find out on the internet, but couldn't get any answer. So, please help me with two things.

1. How to know whether a word is formal or informal.

2. Is 'placate' formal or informal.

  

Top answer

scarf red 164 1. How to know whether a word is formal or informal. The more syllables, the more formal, as a rule.

— Anonymous

  • scarf red 164 1.
  • How to know whether a word is formal or informal.
  • The more syllables, the more formal, as a rule.
  • Words of Latin or French etymology tend to be formal.
  • The equivalent short or Anglo-Saxon words tend to be more casual.
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2 Answers
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scarf red 1641. How to know whether a word is formal or informal.

The more syllables, the more formal, as a rule. Words of Latin or French etymology tend to be formal. The equivalent short or Anglo-Saxon words tend to be more casual. Compare "placate" and "soothe". Multi-word units of meaning are less formal than single-word. Compare "smooth his ruffled fea

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scarf red 1641. How to know whether a word is formal or informal.

Some dictionaries mark conspicuously formal words as such, but may not extend this to a middlingly formal word such as "placate". As far as I have noticed, the Collins "Cobuild" dictionary (for advanced learners, available at

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