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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004unreal
Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s which appear in the following excerpt. Since I was underaged, I was not allowed to enter the casino, but I could watch. The cashiers give the people who are playing the slot machines their coins in a paper cup. The people who play roulette or blackjack get chips. THere is something unreal about everything in Vegas, but nothing seems more unreal than the money. << [masahiko] Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s which appear in the following excerpt. Since I was underaged, I was not allowed to enter the casino, but I could watch. The cashiers give the people who are playing the slot machines their coins in a paper cup. The people who play roulette or blackjack get chips. THere is something unreal about everything in Vegas, but nothing seems more unreal than the money. [end quote] >> This is the standard dictionary definition, not something metaphorical like the others you have been asking about. Unreal: artificial, illusory; not substantial. (a.u.e. aside): add "underaged" to the "misled" list. -- --------------------------------------------- Richard Maurer To reply, remove half Sunnyvale, California of a homonym of a synonym for also. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > << [masahiko] > Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Sunnyvale, California of a homonym of a synonym for also. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- What is the difference between "artificial" and "fake", if "fake" is not regarded as a synonym for unreal? >> << [masahiko] >> Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >What is the difference between "artificial" and "fake", if "fake" is not >regarded as a synonym for unreal? Connotation, mostly. "Fake" implies a dishonest effort to represent something that it isn't. One doesn't associate dishonesty with "artificial". >>What is the difference between "artificial" and "fake", if "fake" is not >>regarded as a synonym for unreal? > >Connotation, mostly. "Fake" implies a dishonest effort to represent >something that it isn't. As opposed to an honest effort to do the same, which would make the item real, not fake.  SignatureAlfred > << [masahiko] > Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Unreal: artificial, illusory; not substantial. Three words you listed as dictionary definition are slightly different in meaning from each other. Will you tell me which of three you choose if you paraphrase the above usage of unreal? > > << [masahiko] > > Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > in meaning from each other. Will you tell me which of three you choose > if you paraphrase the above usage of unreal? That's not an easy choice. Although you could dismiss Vegas as "artificial," full on man-made, synthetic, plastic objects and people wearing fake costumes and heavy makeup, in machine-generated air-conditioning, I don't think that the most important point. "Illusory" is probably more what the author had it mind -- everything is an illusion, nothing is what it seems to be, nothing is rooted in reality. The example was money, which is replaced by chips instead of the everyday bills (banknotes). It's like walking around in an eerie dreamworld, with an element of magic tricks thrown in. "Not substantial" is OK, with much the same meaning, having no solid substance, but it is a negative way of putting it. SignatureBest wishes -- Donna Richoux << [masahiko] Will you tell me the closest word which can replace both "unreal"s which appear in the following excerpt. Since I was underaged, I was not allowed to enter the casino, but I could watch. The cashiers give the people who are playing the slot machines their coins in a paper cup. The people who play roulette or blackjack get chips. THere is something unreal about everything in Vegas, but nothing seems more unreal than the money. [end quote] >> << [Richard Maurer] This is the standard dictionary definition, not something metaphorical like the others you have been asking about. Unreal: artificial, illusory; not substantial. [end quote] >> << [masahiko] Three words you listed as dictionary definition are slightly different in meaning from each other. Will you tell me which of three you choose if you paraphrase the above usage of unreal? [end quote] >> Yes, they surround the meaning without being exact synonyms. I refer you to Donna's comments. I mentioned that this is a standard dictionary usage, so you might find one in your English-Japanese dictionary. I would simply divide "unreal" into its components -- un-real. Are you trying to understand the meaning or are you trying to do some unspecified task? -- --------------------------------------------- Richard Maurer To reply, remove half Sunnyvale, California of a homonym of a synonym for also. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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