Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Junkomama]

Hello, teachrs.
Are the following phrases all correct and do a&b in each set have the same meaning?

1a. diagonally downward right
1b. obliquely downward right

2a. diagonally forward right
2b. obliquely forward right

Thank you in advance!
Junkomama

[lotus]

Hi.

Diagonal usually means a diagonal line from one corner to an opposite corner -- usually inside a square or rectangle (this is how TV screens are measured). A diagonal line in an irregular polygon is also possible.

Oblique usually means a line at a slanted angle (between parallel and perpendicular, 0-90 degrees) to another line.

Oblique lines are not necessarily diagonal lines (they don't necessarily have to touch a corner). All diagonal lines are oblique.

From these definitions, we would use diagonal lines to measure from one end-point (corner) to the next or opposite end-point (corner).

I would use:

diagonally, from lower left to upper right
diagonally, from upper left to lower right
diagonally, from upper right to lower left
diagonally, from lower right to upper left

This describes all possible ways to draw diagonal lines inside a square, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid, or any 4-sided irregular polygon.


--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda

[Junkomama]

Thank you very much for your answer, lotus-san!

With regards,
Junkomama