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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 20
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 20 |
I'm a student from Hong Kong named Freddie,aged 19
Lately I learn a word from the newspaper: Sublimate
Can we say "Sublimate our English" ?
Someone pointed out that it's mistaken but It's a bit confusing.Can anyone help me?
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742 |
Welcome suededevil, nice to have you with us. Merriam-Webster gives as the first meaning of sublimate the following:
1 a : SUBLIME 1 b archaic : to improve or refine as if by subliming
This suggests to me that to say "sublimate our English" might not be clearly understood by some, since it uses the word sublimate in a way that is no longer common. Not by any strech of the imagination wrong, just unusual.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
addict
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addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555 |
Hello Suededevil!
I would think, 'Sublimate' would apply to the wilful aggrandisement of something mundane to a more profound state. Akin to something many new age gurus with the right marketing strategies, do: 'sublimate' ordinary everyday wisdom to the lofty standards of philosophy!
It seems more appropriate to apply this word to theories, ideologies or priniciples. In general, anything abstract. Language is anything but abstract and so, to use this, to indicate a desire to improve one's command over the language, does not seem to be quite right. I, at least, have not heard it used this way.
Moreover there is a clear sense of a deliberate act, with sublimate; as in, when you sublimate something, you are deliberately altering its condition to a falsely exalted one.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
The common understanding of the word sublimate would make me think that one was trying to channel one's knowledge of English into some socially acceptable alternative. This doesn't make any sense to me. "Advance my English" would work, but it isn't the normal way of saying it. I suspect what you want to say is "improve my English".
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
I first learned the word "sublimate" in chemistry. Some solids, such as iodine and icicles pass
directly from the solid to vapor stage without intermediate liquid stage. And in the process,
impurities are left behind.
Probably most common usage is in psychiatry:
"6. The capacity to sublimate, to direct instinctive hostile energy into creative and constructive outlets.
Sublimate? "To divert a desire or impulse to one that is more socially or culturally acceptable." For kicks,
I write newspaper columns. I do not rob banks. When tired at eleven (AM or PM), sleep is a reasonable
consideration. In retirement, I sublimate well. "
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439 |
I sublimate any anger by cleaning the kitchen floor. Change one desire for something into something else more productive. Least that's how I use it.
I improve my English/American by frequenting this board!
And I advance my understanding of English the same way.
Welcome, and do stay around. We will all be delighted to help you with your language studies.
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 20
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 20 |
"I sublimate any anger by cleaning the kitchen floor"
Well if you say sublimate your anger by........
wat if i say" I transform my sulleness into joy"?
I got a bit frustrated about this word
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
wat if i say" I transform my sulleness into joy"? That would be a correct usage.
I got a bit frustrated about this word
Understandable. The problem is that sublimate has different ...applications. I was going to say definitions, but when you get right down to it, they all mean change (I think). However, we don't apply it to language. Just one of those inexplicable "rules", I think. Because of my training, my first thought when I see this word is the psychology usage, but as you have seen, there are others.
Um--transform is another word that can have small shades of meaning. Sublimate usually means change for the better; transform can mean just changed, without any qualifying connotations of for the better or for the worse. However--if it is used without a stated qualifier or context, then most of the time it is taken to mean for the better. The statement, "He was transformed", standing by itself, can be assumed to mean that he changed for the better. However, if it is preceded by statements, say, "He never had a criminal record. Then he joined a gang.", then "he was transformed" can by context be assumed that he changed for the worse.
I hope this is clearer than I suspect it is; I really need more sleep...
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