Which synonyms do you prefer?

[GodLovesCats]

I think everyone naturally tends to say and write certain words all the time, even though other words they know mean exactly the same thing. What are yours?

PEOPLE
mother or mom
father or dad
grandmother or grandma
grandfather or grandpa
anybody or anyone
everybody or everyone
baby or infant
child or kid
lady or women
guy or man

OCCUPATIONAL
waiter or server
police or cop
worker or staffer
task or chore
assist or help
start or begin
done or finished

NATURE
porcine or swine
kitty or cat
dawn or sunrise
dusk or sunset
creek or brook

GENERAL
ideal or perfect
dinner or supper
ill or sick
trip or vacation
exam or test
big or large
small or little
sarcasm or satire

Of course, I know this is far from a complete list.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I think everyone naturally tends to say and write certain words all the time, even though other words they know mean exactly the same thing. What are yours?

PEOPLE
mother or mom
father or dad
grandmother or grandma
grandfather or grandpa
anybody or anyone
everybody or everyone
baby or infant
child or kid
lady or women
guy or man

OCCUPATIONAL
waiter or server
police or cop
worker or staffer
task or chore
assist or help
start or begin
done or finished

NATURE
porcine or swine
kitty or cat
dawn or sunrise
dusk or sunset
creek or brook

GENERAL
ideal or perfect
dinner or supper
ill or sick
trip or vacation
exam or test
big or large
small or little
sarcasm or satire

Of course, I know this is far from a complete list.

Sarcasm and Satire are not the same thing. One CAN also be the other, but not necessarily. Same with Trip and Vacation and a few others.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I think everyone naturally tends to say and write certain words all the time, even though other words they know mean exactly the same thing. What are yours?

PEOPLE
mother or mom
father or dad
grandmother or grandma
grandfather or grandpa
anybody or anyone
everybody or everyone
baby or infant
child or kid
lady or women
guy or man

OCCUPATIONAL
waiter or server
police or cop
worker or staffer
task or chore
assist or help
start or begin
done or finished

NATURE
porcine or swine
kitty or cat
dawn or sunrise
dusk or sunset
creek or brook

GENERAL
ideal or perfect
dinner or supper
ill or sick
trip or vacation
exam or test
big or large
small or little
sarcasm or satire

Of course, I know this is far from a complete list.

Too, a lot depends on context and style of what is being written.

But generally I tend to step away from big words, by habit, because I don't like to deal with people who use them to distance themselves from the listener (and any criticism), and don't want to be seen that way myself. But sometimes, the right word is not a common word.

 

[ewq1938]

Which synonyms do you prefer?

I wish you would have said, "Which equivalents do you prefer?"

Also, copolice.

 

[jacks]

I had an English teacher who said there are no synonyms in the English language. Each word has a different connotation. Could be true, I keep looking for an exception.

 

[Occams Barber]

I think everyone naturally tends to say and write certain words all the time, even though other words they know mean exactly the same thing. What are yours?

PEOPLE
mother or mom
father or dad
grandmother or grandma
grandfather or grandpa
anybody or anyone
everybody or everyone
baby or infant
child or kid
lady or women
guy or man

OCCUPATIONAL
waiter or server
police or cop
worker or staffer
task or chore
assist or help
start or begin
done or finished

NATURE
porcine or swine
kitty or cat
dawn or sunrise
dusk or sunset
creek or brook

GENERAL
ideal or perfect
dinner or supper
ill or sick
trip or vacation
exam or test
big or large
small or little
sarcasm or satire

Of course, I know this is far from a complete list.

Many of your 'synonyms' are actually a mixed bag of idioms specific to American English or non-American English:

• 'Mom' is a US specific idiom. It's non-US equivalents are 'mum' and 'mam'

• 'Guy' is idiomatically US, but is spreading

• 'Server, 'cop', 'staffer', 'chore' are idiomatically US English although 'cop' is spreading

• 'Brook' is British but is rarely used in Australian English. 'Creek' is common in both US and Australian English but is rarely used in Britain

• A better synonym for 'vacation' is 'holiday'. 'Vacation' is US idiom for 'holiday' and is not normal outside of the US. 'Holiday(s)' has a different meaning in US English

• As @Mark Quayle already mentioned - sarcasm and satire are not the same thing

OB
Source:
American English: Dialects and Variation (Third Edition)

 

[Occams Barber]

I had an English teacher who said there are no synonyms in the English language. Each word has a different connotation. Could be true, I keep looking for an exception.

Your teacher was right - sort of. It's rare to find two words with exactly the same meaning. Often the meaning of one word may 'overlap' with another. The meanings will match at the overlap but each word may also have a number of alternate, different meanings.

English added lots of synonyms following the invasion of Britain in 1066. Blame the French.

OB

 

[GodLovesCats]

I wish you would have said, "Which equivalents do you prefer?"

Also, copolice.

Equivalents are not synonyms.

 

[GodLovesCats]

Too, a lot depends on context and style of what is being written.

But generally I tend to step away from big words, by habit, because I don't like to deal with people who use them to distance themselves from the listener (and any criticism), and don't want to be seen that way myself. But sometimes, the right word is not a common word.

My questions assumes context usually is not important.

 

[Moral Orel]

A better synonym for 'vacation' is 'holiday'. 'Vacation' is US idiom for 'holiday' and is not normal outside of the US. 'Holiday(s)' has a different meaning in US English

So what do you guys call days like "Christmas" down under?

 

[Occams Barber]

So what do you guys call days like "Christmas" down under?

Christmas Day.


OB

 

[Moral Orel]

Christmas Day.


OB

So you don't have a word that means the same thing Americans mean when we say "holiday"?

 

[Occams Barber]

My questions assumes context usually is not important.

It varies but context can be critical or meaningless - it depends on the word and the range of meanings attached to it.

Take your 'trip/vacation' synonym.

A 'trip' is a short journey. It may well be a 'vacation' but it could also be a business 'trip' or a field 'trip' or a school 'trip'. The strict meaning changes according to context.

OB

 

[Occams Barber]

So you don't have a word that means the same thing Americans mean when we say "holiday"?

You've asked a complex question. The short answer is 'no'.

All full time Australian workers are entitled to 4 weeks paid leave each year. These are commonly called our annual 'holidays'. We may choose to use some or all of our annual 'holidays' to take a 'holiday' and go somewhere or just stay home:

"I used two weeks of my annual holidays to take a skiing holiday to New Zealand"

Celebration days like Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day etc. are Public Holidays, which means a day off work with pay for all workers but not related to our annual holidays. We would refer to each of these Public Holidays by the specific event it celebrates - i.e., 'Christmas day holiday, Boxing Day holiday New Years day holiday.

My understanding is that 'the holiday(s)' in a US context, is a collective all- encompassing reference to a range of celebratory days which occur towards the end of the year (Christmas, New Year(s), Thanksgiving). American holidays may (or may not) be paid.

OB

 

[Moral Orel]

You've asked a complex question. The short answer is 'no'.

All full time Australian workers are entitled to 4 weeks paid leave each year. These are commonly called our annual 'holidays'. We may choose to use some or all of our annual 'holidays' to take a 'holiday' and go somewhere or just stay home:

"I used two weeks of my annual holidays to take a skiing holiday to New Zealand"

Celebration days like Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day etc. are Public Holidays, which means a day off work with pay for all workers but not related to our annual holidays. We would refer to each of these Public Holidays by the specific event it celebrates - i.e., 'Christmas day holiday, Boxing Day holiday New Years day holiday.

My understanding is that 'the holiday(s)' in a US context, is a collective all- encompassing reference to a range of celebratory days which occur towards the end of the year (Christmas, New Year(s), Thanksgiving). American holidays may (or may not) be paid.

OB

So basically, you all say "holiday" about all these celebratory days because it's normal to not work on those days? Are these public holidays granted by laws or what?

Most workers in the US work on most holidays. That's why we have the separate words for "holiday" and "vacation". There aren't any laws about holidays or vacations at all here.

 

[Occams Barber]

So basically, you all say "holiday" about all these celebratory days because it's normal to not work on those days? Are these public holidays granted by laws or what?

Most workers in the US work on most holidays. That's why we have the separate words for "holiday" and "vacation". There aren't any laws about holidays or vacations at all here.

The word 'vacation' is rarely used here. Annual leave is prescribed at a minimum of 4 weeks (20 days) a year for full time workers and pro rata for part timers. Holiday pay also has a 17.5% leave loading (17.5% extra on top of your normal wage)

All Public Holidays are gazetted (legally prescribed) by the government. There are around 7 Federal Public holidays plus 2 or 3 days gazetted by each state government. All are paid. If you need to work on one of these days you're paid double time - twice your normal daily rate. Victoria has a public holiday to celebrate the Melbourne Cup - a horserace.

Then there's Sick Leave, Carer's leave, parenting leave, long service leave......

OB

 

[Moral Orel]

The word 'vacation' is rarely used here. Annual leave is prescribed at a minimum of 4 weeks (20 days) a year for full time workers and pro rata for part timers. Holiday pay also has a 17.5% leave loading (17.5% extra on top of your normal wage)

All Public Holidays are gazetted (legally prescribed) by the government. There are around 7 Federal Public holidays plus 2 or 3 days gazetted by each state government. All are paid. If you need to work on one of these days you're paid double time - twice your normal daily rate. Victoria has a public holiday to celebrate the Melbourne Cup - a horserace.

Yeah, we don't have anything of the sort here. That's all just considered "perks" that the employer can offer if they please. They have to pay time-and-a-half for hours worked past forty hours, or you can have a salary and not get anything for overtime.

Then there's Sick Leave, Carer's leave, parenting leave, long service leave......

Well, we at least have that, sort of. You guys probably get paid, but we just have laws that keep us from getting fired for taking time off for that sort of thing.

 

[GodLovesCats]

I had an English teacher who said there are no synonyms in the English language. Each word has a different connotation. Could be true, I keep looking for an exception.

That is total nonsense. My English teacher said a synonym is a word with the same or a similar meaning. She said nothing about context changing the meaning of a word.

 

[Leaf473]

I think everyone naturally tends to say and write certain words all the time, even though other words they know mean exactly the same thing. What are yours?

PEOPLE
mother or mom
father or dad
grandmother or grandma
grandfather or grandpa
anybody or anyone
everybody or everyone
baby or infant
child or kid
lady or women
guy or man

OCCUPATIONAL
waiter or server
police or cop
worker or staffer
task or chore
assist or help
start or begin
done or finished

NATURE
porcine or swine
kitty or cat
dawn or sunrise
dusk or sunset
creek or brook

GENERAL
ideal or perfect
dinner or supper
ill or sick
trip or vacation
exam or test
big or large
small or little
sarcasm or satire

Of course, I know this is far from a complete list.

For me, it varies with style. Like, what kind of thing I'm saying or post I'm writing.

 

[GodLovesCats]

A better synonym for vacation is holiday. Vacation is US idiom for holiday and is not normal outside of the US. Holiday(s) has a different meaning in US English

No it's not. Holiday is the British term for vacation. Americans may have started using it that way, but the word always meant a kind of special day to celebrate What do people call holidays everywhere else?