Superior. Synonym for 'better'

Question

Hi teachers,Would the word 'superior' be an appropriate definition for 'better' in the following sentence?A: I hope you're a better student.Thanks in advance.

Surfer · Accepted Answer

Hello TL.

Good students aren't usually described as superiors, I believe.
Use smarter or brighter.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Hi Surfer,

Thanks a lot for your reply.
'Smarter or brighter' sound a lot better, 'superior' would be considered quite rude to the first student, won't it?

TL

Surfer · Answer

Tenacious LearnerHi Surfer,Thanks a lot for your reply.'Smarter or brighter' sound a lot better, 'superior' would be considered quite rude to the first student, won't it?TL

Hello TL.

Yes, it may sound rude, since it may be taken to mean that one individual is of overall higher level/ranking than another. It potentially suggests racism.

Clive · Answer

I see nothing intrinsically rude or racist about the word 'superior'. As with all words, much depends on the context.

eg I hope you are a superior student.
This can be said simply to mean 'a very good student'. The implicit comparison is 'superior to most other students in the world'.

It can also involve a more explicit comparison, eg to all the other students in the class. But is a parent speaking at home to his child? Or is a teacher saying this to a new student because his class is full of lazy students? Can the class hear the remark?
Context, context, context!.

Clive

Tenacious Learner · Answer

CliveContext, context, context!.

Hi Clive,
Thanks for your opinion.
This is the context:
An instructor at a driving school had a terrible time with another student. Then, a new one arrived. That's why he said, 'I hope you are a better student'. Of course, the first student has already left the school?

TL

Surfer · Answer

CliveI see nothing intrinsically rude or racist about the word 'superior'. As with all words, much depends on the context.eg I hope..
..
.
Context, context, context!.

Context is of the essence, of course. In my post, I expressed it was probable:

"Yes, it may sound rude, since it may be taken to mean that one individual is of overall higher level/ranking than another. It potentially suggests racism."

However, I guess that some words may have negative perception due to them having roots in some past or historical contexts, or being frequently used in certain types of event such they become markers of a certain type of thought or ideology in which the intended meaning is an unwanted one. Using those words may more or less give rise to such feel and/or make questionable the speaker's intent, especially if the context in which they're being used leaves open the possibility for such interpretations - my theme here is play it safe: why risk others misunderstanding your words?!

Enoon · Answer

Tenacious Learner CliveContext, context, context!.Hi Clive,Thanks for your opinion.This is the context:An instructor at a driving school had a terrible time with another student. Then, a new one arrived. That's why he said, 'I hope you are a better student'. Of course, the first student has already left the school?TL

I'm usually pretty good at divining context, but this one had me stumped.

"Superior" would be wrong. He only meant that he hoped the new student would be better than the old one, not that the new one would be exceptionally good.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

enoon"Superior" would be wrong. He only meant that he hoped the new student would be better than the old one, not that the new one would be exceptionally good.

Hi enoon,
Thanks! Then, would 'a very good student', be the one?

Enoon · Answer

Tenacious Learner enoon"Superior" would be wrong. He only meant that he hoped the new student would be better than the old one, not that the new one would be exceptionally good.Hi enoon,Thanks! Then, would 'a very good student', be the one?

No. He hopes the new student will perform in a way that will give him less trouble than the old one did—better.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

enoonHe hopes the new student will perform in a way that will give him less trouble than the old one did—better.

Hi ennon,
Thanks for your point of view.

TL

Superior. Synonym for 'better'

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