Are ‘Assume’ and ‘Presume’ Synonyms?

In spite of suppose And suppose, I think both mean “to regard something as true,” “presume” implies more confidence or evidence-based reasoning. An “assumption” indicates that there is little evidence to support your prediction. Think carefully before using them interchangeably, otherwise you may lose some meaning.

Suppose, I think And suppose both mean “take something for granted” or “take something as true.” The difference between words lies in the confidence level of the speaker or writer. If he or she is making conjecture based on reasonable evidence, suppose is the word to use; if a conjecture is made based on little or no evidence, suppose, I think often used. (However, this is not true in the legal slogan “considered innocent until proven guilty”. suppose is specifically defined as “presumed to be true without proof” and is based on the fact that legal systems allow the presumption of innocence, thereby placing the burden of proof on the prosecution.)

suppose, I think

‘Assumption’ is the word to be used if you are making a well-founded conjecture based on reasonable evidence. If you are conjecturing based on little or no evidence, the word to use is ‘assume’.

Origin of Presume vs Assumption

In 1828 American English Dictionary, Noah Webster nicely distinguishes the different uses of the words. He defines suppose is “taken or presumed to be true or entitled to believe, without test or proof, or upon the power of probability,” and suppose, I think is “taken for granted, or without proof; suppose as a fact.” The etymology of these words reflects Webster’s definition. Both words are ultimately derived from the Latin verb sumere, which means “take.” Ancestors of suppose formed by joining the verb with the Latin prefix praise- (before in English), means “before”, while the ancestor of suppose, I think formed with advertisement-, which means “to” or “towards.” Translated: praise means “take first” and wearer, “to bring on for yourself.” Thus, for Webster, to assume something is to consider it true or likely to happen first because it “has a right to be believed” or because of the “power of probability”, and assumes something is to take it and take it as fact. .

See more:  How Come People Say 'How Come'?

The current definition of suppose is “especially to expect or assume with confidence”, which indicates that suppose, I think And suppose have become interchangeable, and in actual use this often happens.

An observer would assume that all of us—humans as well as the birds that live on the shores—are guilty of worshiping the sun. —George Thatcher, The Biloxi (Mississippi) Sun HeraldJanuary 22, 2013

Consumers accept the fact that decaffeinated coffee costs more than regular coffee. They argue that decaffeinated coffee is produced by passing regular coffee through an additional process to remove some of the caffeine and that it makes sense that an additional process would increase the cost of the finished product. — Gold bill, washington articlesDecember 2, 1980

American parents like me just assumed we would have to chase the kids around the park all afternoon or spend half a dinner party putting them to bed. — Pamela Druckerman, Raising BabyBaby2012

The push for men to express their feelings assumes that we have feelings, and we have a few, but they are still submerged and expressing them often violates their authenticity. —Roger Rosenblatt, TimeDecember 7, 1998

The animal is presumed dead due to late complications, such as severe malnutrition and generalized weakness, systemic infection or possibly… pneumonia. — Janet D. Gross et al., Research & ExplorationSummer 1993

This book is intended to be accessible to anyone without assuming any in-depth knowledge of Canadian society on the part of the reader. — Will Ferguson, Beauty tips from Moose Jaw2004

In spite of suppose are generally interchangeable with suppose, I thinkit still tends to imply a speaker’s or writer’s confidence unrelated to suppose, I think—defined as “as granted or true.” This distinct quality of suppose which means that the word is not a real synonym of suppose, I think. When suppose, I think be substituted for supposesomething may be lost.

See more:  Point of View: It's Personal

Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn

Leave a Comment