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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

Old-fashioned vs. traditional

Hi,
Could you please explain what the difference is between old-fashioned and traditional if they are interchangeable in these examples?

1.She wants to be an old-fashioned/ traditional mother, staying at home and looking after the children.

2.My parents are old-fashioned/ traditional about relationships and marriage.

3.She's very traditional/ old-fashioned in her ideas and opinions.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hi, The main difference here is that is that 'old-fashioned' often implies that 'modern' is better. 'Traditional' does not imply this, and may even suggest that 'traditional' is better. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, The main difference here is that is that 'old-fashioned' often implies that 'modern' is better.
  • 'Traditional' does not imply this, and may even suggest that 'traditional' is better.
  • Clive
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12 Answers
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Hi,

The main difference here is that is that 'old-fashioned' often implies that 'modern' is better.

'Traditional' does not imply this, and may even suggest that 'traditional' is better.

Clive
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Hi Clive,
Can I use the two words in those examples?

Is 'about' correct in 'traditional about...' in the example?
AnonymousMy parents are old-fashioned/ traditional about relationships and marriage.
Is 'in' correct in 'old- fashioned in...' in the example?
AnonymousShe's very traditional/ old-fashioned in her ideas and opini
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Hi,

Can I use the two words in those examples? Yes. With the small nuances that I explained.,

Is 'about' correct in 'traditional about...' in the example? Yes
AnonymousMy parents are old-fashioned/ traditional about relationships and marriage.
Is '
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AnonymousMy parents are old-fashioned/ traditional about relationships and marriage.
3.She's very traditional/ old-fashioned in her ideas and opinions.
Hi Clive,
What's the difference in meaning between 'about' and 'in' in the examples?

Thanks!
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Hi,

Not a lot.
'In' suggests that what is being discussed relates more closely to her character and her key principles.

Clive
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CliveHi,The main difference here is that is that 'old-fashioned' often implies that 'modern' is better.'Traditional' does not imply this, and may even suggest that 'traditional' is better.Clive
Hi Clive,
Why doesn't 'traditional' imply this, and may even suggest that 'traditional' is better?

Can I use 'traditional' in sentence #1 and #2?

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Hi,

Why doesn't 'traditional' imply this, and may even suggest that 'traditional' is better?
You are asking me why words mean what they mean?
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Clive2.You think they are too young to get married? Don't be so old-fashioned/ traditional! 'Old-fashioned' sounds more like what I think you mean.
Hi Clive,
I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean by your answer here. Isn't 'traditional' OK? Could you explain why it's not fine here?

Thanks a lot.
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Old-fashioned comes from the words old + fashion.

An old-fashioned dress is what my grandmother would wear. If I wore her dress today, my friends would laugh at me. They dress in modern clothes, which are very different from clothes worn 50 years ago.

Traditional comes from the word tradition.

Some cultures have traditional dres
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Hi AlpheccaStars,

Do you mean 'tradition' is never outdated?

Do they mean the same:
This kind of dress is old-fashioned.
This kind of dress is outdated.
This kind of dress in out of fashion.

Thank you very much.
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