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Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2007"pretension" vs. "pretentiousness"
I can think of uses of "pretension" where "pretentiousness" wouldn't do: It's merely a pretension of his. - but I can't think of any examples of the reverse. Unless, that is, "pretentiousness" properly refers to an aspect of character, rather than the behaviour, but I think this might be just a pedantic and unnecessary distinction. Daniele On Nov 26, 5:59 am, real-not-anti-spam-addr...@apple-juice.co.uk (D.M. Procida) wrote: > I can think of uses of "pretension" where "pretentiousness" wouldn't do: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > character, rather than the behaviour, but I think this might be just a > pedantic and unnecessary distinction. Yes, it seems if you're talking about an instance of pretentiousness, "pretension" is required, but if you're talking about the general quality, either word can be used. In the case of the general quality, there is still a difference in the flavor of the words, with "pretension" pointing to the general quality through manifested actions, and "pretentiousness" directly at the quality. Or maybe it's a pretentious distinction? -- John > > I can think of uses of "pretension" where "pretentiousness" wouldn't do: > > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > flavor of the words, with "pretension" pointing to the general quality > through manifested actions, and "pretentiousness" directly at the quality. I think that's about right. > Or maybe it's a pretentious distinction? Pretentious, moi? Daniele >I can think of uses of "pretension" where "pretentiousness" wouldn't do: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Daniele I would explain the similarity by analyzing the suffixes, -ness is used, mechanically, to form a noun from an adjective. If you don't know this essay, I think you would enjoy "Politics and the English Language," by George Orwell. He uses the word pretentiousness, correctly I think, in the paragraph beginning "I said earlier that the decadence of our language is probably curable." Jim |
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