classic / classical
English translation: best vs traditional
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| 23:13 Jun 24, 2002 |
| English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO] Art/Literary | ||||
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|  Selected response from: Oso (X) | |||
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| 5 +1 | classic vs. classical |
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| 4 +1 | my understanding and usage |
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| 4 | Here's what Theodore Bernstein has to say |
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| 4 | Depends... |
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Answers
5 mins confidence: 
peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1classic vs. classical Explanation: Hi Carol, Classic means "best", "first-class" or "masterly". Classical means "old and established" or "traditional". e.g. His most recent novel is a classic. e.g. I don't like classical music very much. Good luck from Oso ¶:^) Reference: http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/firstcertificate/confusingwords... |
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9 mins confidence: 
Here's what Theodore Bernstein has to say Explanation: "It would be well if classic were reserved to mean of the topmost class or standard, and classical to mean pertaining to the Greeks or Romans or to other well established systems of bygone days. The meanings are sometimes confused, but need not be. It would also be well if sports writers were to think twice before designating home runs, ski jumps, annual games, and long basketball goals as classic. The overuse tends to cheapen the word." -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2002-06-24 23:32:48 (GMT) -------------------------------------------------- \"there are many combinations in which classic would sound ridiculous: classic education, classic allusions ... Classic, however, apart from being used in plural as a noun meaning the general body of Greek and Latin literature, has its own separate meaning of outstandingly important or authoritative. St Andrews is the classic home of golf. Rylands v. Fletcher was cited as the classic case.\" Modern English Usage - Fowler The Careful Writer - Theodor M. Bernstein |
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15 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1my understanding and usage Explanation: classic: serving as a standard of excellence : of recognized value classical: of or relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world and especially to its literature, art, architecture, or ideals or of or relating to music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries characterized by an emphasis on balance, clarity, and moderation. My take on it from the USA. |
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24 mins confidence:
Depends... Explanation: The two can be synonymous. "Classical" refers to the era of the Greeks and Romans (classical sculpture, for instance), or the late 18th or the 18th century for music (starting somewhere around just before Beethoven). One can also speak of "classical science-fiction" or "classical Bugs Bunny" to mean "the original" or "traditional". "Classical physics" means "physics without the concept of quantum mechanics, relativity, or wave mechanics". It also means "the humanities, the fine arts, and the broad lines of science (a classical education). "Classic" means "recognized as being the best"; "traditional", "enduring", "clean" (the classic lines of this year's Cadillac). It also means "memorable" (that Marx Brother's movie is a classic), "typical" (that's classic Tony Joe South), "authoritative" (the classic reference in the field is the Canadian Abridgement). Capitalised, it refers to the highest periods of Mesoamerican culture, particularly the Mayan culture (A.D. 300-900). Any good dictionary would have told you all that. |
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