Thread: Questions of WORDS and Meanings

My first question is:

What is the difference between SMART and CLEVER?

As an Americanism the two may be synonymous, but in English "Smart" is a more superficial quality, "Clever" a more intellectual one.

Hi Olly really nice to see you back.
So essentially Smart is an American word?

Olly, I beg to differ. Both "smart" and "clever" are seen by some as superficial. Depends on context of course. Generally, I prefer bright, talented and knowledgeable.

How do you mean by 'superficial'?

Both "smart" and "clever" are seen by some as superficial. Depends on context of course.

I would not totally disagree, that is why it was phrased as "more" superficial. Smart has a separate meaning of being visually clean and organised, clever implies the exercise of intellect to me.

Olly.
You would refer to someone who is of clean/tidy appearance as smart which makes total sense.
So 'He looks smart' is correct and 'he is smart' kind of wrongish?
'He is clever and he looks smart' is the correct way.

I sort of think of a smart person as applying intelligence to go along with a situation, while a clever person applies it to go against the situation. To put it another way, smart people think inside the box while clever people think outside of it.

I'm having a hard time coming up with examples, so perhaps it will suffice if I say that a scholar is smart, but a rogue is clever. And yes, clever people can be smart and smart people clever; neither precludes the other.

Originally Posted by Nacian

Olly.
You would refer to someone who is of clean/tidy appearance as smart which makes total sense.
So 'He looks smart' is correct and 'he is smart' kind of wrongish?
'He is clever and he looks smart' is the correct way.

Thecorrect way is often doubtful in language, I would think it "A" correct way.

However there is also to act smartly, which is to be quick about something. It is easy to see that a certain type of mind equates prompt action and a clean appearance with an intelligent approach, thus leading to the use of "smart" as almost synonymous with clever. I think it might be a 'smart move' not to commit myself too thoroughly here

One that interests me, the difference between "teaching" and "instruction"?

One that interests me, the difference between "teaching" and "instruction"?

It all comes down to personality types. Didactic people instruct whereas those with a genuine desire to see others grow as a result of their input teach.

So when they say "I'm going to teach you a lesson you will never forget" they are demonstrating their desire to see me grow as a result of their teaching input in a robust way?

Teaching and Instruction.
This is just a very quickthought..
Teaching should mean it should stay with you forever
Instuction means there and then and you may or may not remember it forever..
Will definetely comeback on this one...

My next two words are:
What is the difference between ALLOWED and PERMITTED?

I was talking about this today and someone said Education was giving you tools to solve generalproblems, instructions were the tools to solve a specific problem in a specific way, sorry to digress back Nacian.

Permitted is tied to 'permit', which implies active knowledge and consent. Allowed is simply forbearing to stop it, one may allow that of which one disapproves, one should not permit it.