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Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2012 03:15:31 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: Re: "roughly speaking" versus "roughly spoken"
From: Mark <makvos@gmail.com>
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Jaakov, I was just searching the web for certitude about about this (I'm a
native English speaker helping a German writer). Anyway for this native Eng
lish speaker "roughly spoken" is strange, it catches the eye immediately. I
t sounds possible, but not quite right. It sounds as if it is commenting on
the tone of what is being said, rather than on its veracity.
"Roughly spoken, 'thank you' is no longer 'thank you.'"
"Roughly speaking, 'thank you' will solve a lot of problems.'"
"Roughly speaking" is the common phrase, and I would suggest using it. The
verb form is present continuous; one is in the act of "speaking roughly," t
hat is, without exact precision, about a certain matter. It's a useful phra
se in the sciences when a connection is being made, but it is not exact one
.
- cursory speaking: No. "Cursory" is the adjective; "cursory speaking" is h
asty, rushed, drive-by speaking; it describes the *quality* of the speech i
tself. "Cursorily" is the adverb, more describing the quantity of the speec
h: few words. Possible, but it sounds a little funny.
- cursory spoken: No.
- simply put, to put it simply:
Both of these are more about summing up an argument.
"Simply put, English is confusing, but easier than German."
"To put it simply, I am lazy."
Hope this helps!
Mark
On Sunday, August 19, 2012 8:40:42 PM UTC+2, Jaakov wrote:
> Dear all:
>
>
>
> In sciences one has to write sentences similar to the following ones
>
> (where X and Y are some nominal phrases):
>
>
>
> - One can view X, roughly speaking, as an abstraction of Y.
>
> - One can view X, roughly spoken, as an abstraction of Y.
>
>
>
> What is the difference? Does one alternative sound better than another on
e?
>
>
>
> And, by the way, is it possible to substitute "roughly speaking" or
>
> "roughly spoken" by the following phrases:
>
> - cursory speaking,
>
> - cursory spoken,
>
> - simply put,
>
> - to put it simply?
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
>
>
> Jaakov.
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