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carol_gh
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Posts: 15
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 Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:41 am Post subject: satisfying satisfactory |
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Hi,
Can anyone help me out? Is there any difference between the two words?
Thanks a lot
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Harmony
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 140
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| Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:09 am Post subject: |
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Hi Carol,
I can see why you're wondering about these words. The difference between them is a subtle and at times they seem almost interchangeable.
I hope this information will help:
Satisfying (adjective):
1: giving pleasure or satisfaction
2: providing abundant nourishment
3: providing freedom from worry
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=satisfying
My thoughts: As an adjective, satisfying is often used in the context of food or emotions. When something is satisfying it makes you feel good.
Examples:
The family celebration was a satisfying experience for all who participated. (Everyone enjoyed the celebration and felt enriched by what they had shared.)
The delicious cookies and mugs of hot chocolate made a satisfying afternoon snack. (Everyone felt pleasantly full after this snack. They enjoyed the cookies and hot chocolate and are looking forward to having this snack again some day.)
As she had recently recovered from a serious illness, it was very satisfying to see little Anne laughing and playing in the garden. (We feel happy to see that Anne is well once again. We�re relieved that we no longer have to worry about her sickness.)
> > > > >
Satisfactory (adjective):
1: sufficient to meet a demand or requirement; adequate
2: meeting certain requirements
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=satisfactory
My thoughts: Satisfactory means good enough. If what is satisfactory were to become even better it would be very good or excellent. If something meets a need in a basic or minimal way it is satisfactory. The word satisfactory lacks the emotional component found in the word satisfying.
Examples:
The family celebration was a satisfactory experience for all who participated. (There were no complaints about the ceremony. It met basic expectations, but may not have been as special as the family had hoped it would be.)
The bread and milk made a satisfactory afternoon snack. (The snack was sufficient. No one was hungry after this snack, but other snacks might have been more enjoyable.)
The sight of little Anne laughing and playing in the garden provided satisfactory proof of her recovery from the illness she had recently suffered. (From Anne�s behavior we were able to conclude that she was no longer ill. This statement doesn�t give any information about how we felt about Anne�s recovery.)
> > > > >
I�ll be happy to answer the question you posted in another forum:
| Quote: |
| I'm a little confused about the three words SPECIAL, PARTICULAR and PECULIAR. Would you please help me out? Thank you! |
Right now I only have time to give you a few of my thoughts about these words, but I'll add some examples later.
Special (adjective) - When something is special it's "more" in some way - more exciting, more important, more needy, more individualized, or more unusual.
Particular (adjective) - This word is used to single out one person or thing from others like it. It can sometimes have the same sense of "more" that special does. It can also mean having high standards.
Peculiar (adjective) - I think you may be asking about peculiar when it means to be peculiar to someone or something, as in this sentence: The problem of racism is not peculiar to this country. If something is peculiar to a person, place, or situation, it is a feature that only belongs to that person or only exists in that place or situation.
A more common meaning for peculiar is strange, eccentric, or odd. It describes something that is different in a way that makes us wonder �Why?� If you saw someone wearing a hat inside-out and backwards you might say What a peculiar way to wear a hat!
I'll be back later. 
Harmony |
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carol_gh
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 5:59 am Post subject: Thank you:)) |
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Thank you very much harmony. I've sensed, from your detailed explanation, the subtle difference between satisfied and satisfying, and that of the other three synonyms as well. I'm really appreciated. [/p]
Can i ask one more question? 
When i was reading a passage the other day, I suddenly realized that since"on" and "about" can both mean with regard to can they be used interactively all the time? [/p]
For instance, a book on a rabit, a book about a rabit[/p]
I've noticed that some dictionary says that on, compared with about, is used in a more formal and scientific way. )
Thanx |
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Harmony
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 140
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Carol,
I'm sorry, but I didn't see your additional question until this evening. It's better to use a new post when you have a new question. It will be posted as having "zero" replies. This way the question won't be overlooked and you'll get an answer more quickly. I will repost it for you now and if no one has answered it by tomorrow I'll try to get to it. I'm sorry, but I have a mountain of work waiting for me right now. 
Harmony |
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carol_gh
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:39 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Harmony, i should have made a new post but i just forgot it  . Thank you for reposting it for me. |
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Harmony
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 140
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| Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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No problem, Carol! When you've been working on a question with one particular teacher it's easy to forget to start a new thread for a new question.
I hope you'll continue to post your questions here and you should always feel free to ask for further explanation if you need it. Our teachers all help each other out and are not offended if others add comments to their answers. After all, even the best teachers don't have the contents of dozens of English textbooks inside their heads!
I hope to see you soon.
Harmony |
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