What's the difference?
Can you always substitute one with the other?
Can you always substitute one with the other?
Large vs Big
No, not at all. You could only say 'he was out on the town giving it large' and not big lol. Sorry, just joking, that's a very modern BE phrase meaning 'he was out on the town drinking lots and partying'.
Seriously though, no I don't think they're interchangable a lot of the time. For example, you could only say that someone had become 'very big-headed' and not 'large-headed', if you wanted to say they had become arrogant or full of themselves about something. Other times large certainly sounds better, as in a 'large proportion of people feel' as opposed to 'a big proportion of people feel'.
I'd be hard pressed to name an absolute rule though, I guess it's just one of the vague aspects of the English language!
Seriously though, no I don't think they're interchangable a lot of the time. For example, you could only say that someone had become 'very big-headed' and not 'large-headed', if you wanted to say they had become arrogant or full of themselves about something. Other times large certainly sounds better, as in a 'large proportion of people feel' as opposed to 'a big proportion of people feel'.
I'd be hard pressed to name an absolute rule though, I guess it's just one of the vague aspects of the English language!
Besides idioms and odd turns of phrase, generally you can substitute one for the other.
...one of the vague aspects...
Sorry, I don't think it's vague like that. Sailor, you can surely find it out in some Webster thesaurus or elsewhere. Try googleing "big vs large".
Hmm...or GOOGLING?
Sorry, I don't think it's vague like that. Sailor, you can surely find it out in some Webster thesaurus or elsewhere. Try googleing "big vs large".
Hmm...or GOOGLING?
As a general rule a word of French or Latin origin always sounds more high-brow in English than a word of Germanic origin.
when you use large and big, it depends on nouns.
large : size, possibility, the sum are above usual, space is wide or it has the intention of importance.
large house (big house), large man (giant), large shoe size, large buyer, large variety, large room (wide room) and large scale
big : size, weight, force and importance are above usual and it is used in case.
big stone, big man (VIP), big problem (problem which is important), big moment (moment when it is important), big talker (exaggeration), big eater (glutton) and big spender (person who spends money plentifully), big drinker (person who drinks alcoholic beverage plentifully)
uses without distinctions : a big building and a large building
must distinguish: a man of large vision(right)
doen't have to use with distinctions : big vision (right), a big heart and a big man in every way (generous and kind), large man(not right), a big liar (right), a large liar (not right), a man of large outlook (right,) and a man of big outlook (not right), big shot (important person) (right), large shot (big), big eye (invitation, proposal and plan) (right), large idea (not right), big mouth (loud person) (right,), large mouth (not right), big talk (exaggeration) (right,), large talk (not right), big time (enjoyable or high level) (right), large time (not right) and big wheel (important person), large wheel (not right), big wig (influential person) (right), large wheel (not right), big head (conceit and egotism) (right), large head (not right), big house (penitentiary, jail) (right)
the phrase with big which shows special meaning it could not be substituted with large.
large : size, possibility, the sum are above usual, space is wide or it has the intention of importance.
large house (big house), large man (giant), large shoe size, large buyer, large variety, large room (wide room) and large scale
big : size, weight, force and importance are above usual and it is used in case.
big stone, big man (VIP), big problem (problem which is important), big moment (moment when it is important), big talker (exaggeration), big eater (glutton) and big spender (person who spends money plentifully), big drinker (person who drinks alcoholic beverage plentifully)
uses without distinctions : a big building and a large building
must distinguish: a man of large vision(right)
doen't have to use with distinctions : big vision (right), a big heart and a big man in every way (generous and kind), large man(not right), a big liar (right), a large liar (not right), a man of large outlook (right,) and a man of big outlook (not right), big shot (important person) (right), large shot (big), big eye (invitation, proposal and plan) (right), large idea (not right), big mouth (loud person) (right,), large mouth (not right), big talk (exaggeration) (right,), large talk (not right), big time (enjoyable or high level) (right), large time (not right) and big wheel (important person), large wheel (not right), big wig (influential person) (right), large wheel (not right), big head (conceit and egotism) (right), large head (not right), big house (penitentiary, jail) (right)
the phrase with big which shows special meaning it could not be substituted with large.
alot of people assume that being in touch with native speakers of the English language is a successful way to improve your level in it . yet I have no serious bound with any English person . I really want to talk in english fluently so could any english person do me a favour and contact me ( elly_art10@yahoo.com ) I will be very grateful . your contact means alot ......
alot of people assume that being in touch with native speakers of the English language is a successful way to improve your level in it . yet I have no serious bound with any English person . I really want to talk in english fluently so could any english person do me a favour and contact me ( elly_art10@yahoo.com ) I will be very grateful . your contact means alot ......
alot of people assume that being in touch with native speakers of the English language is a successful way to improve your level in it . yet I have no serious bound with any English person . I really want to talk in english fluently so could any english person do me a favour and contact me ( elly_art10@yahoo.com ) I will be very grateful . your contact means alot ......