The Differences...

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between...movie & filmgift & presentill & sickgorgeous & beautifulcute & nice diverse & different or variousall I know is that some words are used by americans and some other by enlish.

Yankee · Accepted Answer

Hi Elly

I'm American, and I use all of those words on a regular basis.

As for differences in meaning, I presume you've already checked a dictionary. If so, could you be more specific about exactly what it is that you find confusing?

BarbaraPA · Answer

To add to Amy's post, the only pair that has a big American/British difference is ill/sick, and there are a few threads on that already.

The only pair that has very different meaning are cute/nice, and a dicitonary will help with that.

I use gift/present interchangeably. I roll my eyes at the huge threads on ESL forums about the difference between them. I don't think there's a big difference between them in native speaker's minds.

Anonymous · Answer

I find your reactions, strange.
I remember, when i used to learn english as a beginner, we had been told, that there's a little difference between movie & film or gift/present.
like for ex. "movie" is used for another situation.. when u see it on the cinema or home... and it goes the same for "film" which may be the other way around.
I can't seem to remember the difference, plus i didnt' take note of it.
The fact that you, as native speakers, use it with no differences, doesn't really mean that there's not a difference actually. Because this is a linguistic matter and native speakers, in daily speaking, don't deal with it.

Of course there's a difference...
but you guys DON' T know it and that's just another issue.

BarbaraPA · Answer

I see. You, as a student, learned there is a difference in the pairings, but you didn't notice what it was, and you don't remember what the difference is now. Then you hear that in practice, there's really not much difference at all in the way native speakers use film/movie or the way we use gift/present.

Yet you insist there's a difference and accuse us (tacity) of blowing smoke to cover our ignorance.

There's a big difference between cute and nice. There's a UK/US difference in ill and sick.

I've not news for you: Actual usage is what determines meaning. That's why, eventually, "u" and "you" will be used interchangeably

I must hope that you find the responses of other posters more satisfactory in the future. You don't be hearing any more from me.

Yankee · Answer

ElidaI find your reactions, strange.

You don't need a comma in that sentence. Other than that, the sentence suggests to me (1) that you have no intention of accepting the fact that all of those words are used in American English, and (2) that you simply didn't feel like addressing my follow-up question.

ElidaI remember when I was learning English as a beginner, we were told that there's a little difference between movie & film or gift/present.

Please take a look at these links:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?dict=B&searchword=movie / http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?dict=B&searchword=film
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?dict=B&searchword=gift / http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?dict=B&searchword=present

You might also want to bookmark this site: www.onelook.com

ElidaFor example, "movie" is used in specific situations, depending on whether you see it on at the cinema or home... and the same goes for "film", which may be the other way around.

I've offered suggestions for improving the wording in the two quotes above.

Many dictionaries provide usage examples along with the definitions they give. After you've checked the dictionary definitions and examples in the links above, if you still feel unclear about a specific usage, then you might try posting a specific question about a specific usage. You could also try composing a few sentences of your own, and then post them here for comment on the appropriateness or naturalness of the way the target word was used.

ElidaThe fact that you, as native speakers, use it with no differences, doesn't really mean that there's not a difference actually.

If you look at my first post, you may notice that I asked you to be more specific about your question. I see no reason why I should do basic dictionary work for you. There is no way I could possibly know which usages you know, which you don't know, and which you are mistaken about. For a number of reasons it makes no sense at all to attempt to post every single possible usage of each of those words here

ElidaBecause this is a linguistic matter and native speakers, in daily speaking, don't deal with it.

I see. Do you think native-speaker linguists and native-speaker ESL teachers ever venture into these sorts of linguistic matters? What about professional writers? Or are you simply saying you would prefer to get your responses from non-native speakers?

ElidaOf course there's a difference...

That's right, there are various differences in usage and/or meaning -- all of which you will find in a good dictionary. However, I'd just like to emphasize one more time that ALL of the words you posted are used in American English. The dictionary links I posted above will give you some information about some of the differences in usage tendencies in BE and AmE. And that is precisely why I asked whether you had already checked a dictionary.

Elidabut you guys DON' T know it and that's just another issue.

That is what is known as a "snarky" comment -- to put it extremely kindly.

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