Collocating the adjective "complicate".

guest   Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:02 pm GMT
<<Why not avoid the whole problem and just forego the adjective "complicate" entirely (except maybe in certain scientific texts where it is commonly used to mean something specific). >>


well, because it's really a proper adjective

if we forgo anything, it should be the verb and noun senses, but that isn't going to happen



<<Maybe it's just me... I've never heard "complicate" used as an adjective... >>

No, not really. Here in the US, I've never heard it used before either, although I can readily see that it *could* be used as such...
MollyB   Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:03 pm GMT
<Why not avoid the whole problem and just forego the adjective "complicate" entirely (except maybe in certain scientific texts where it is commonly used to mean something specific). >

Some teachers have to teach, and some English language students learn, English for Academic Purposes (EAP). This thread may be important for them, if not for you.
MollyB   Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:05 pm GMT
<<1. I think you're referring to a "compound" fracture... Which isn't fun no matter what you call it... >>

Believe me, the doctor knew what he was talking about.
Skippy   Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:56 pm GMT
I googled "complicate fracture" and got 118 hits and at the top it said "do you mean complicated fracture?" I typed in "compound fracture" and got 155,000 hits...

Sorry i'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, but I've never heard this use of "complicate."
MrPedantic   Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:07 pm GMT
MollyB's examples of "complicate" are all typos.

MrP
Guest   Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:14 pm GMT
<<Used in a sentence "How poor, how rich, how abject, how august, how complicate, how wonderful is man! --Young.>>

The quote from Young dates from 1742, when "complicate (adj.)" was still current.

MrP
Guest   Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:41 pm GMT
**MollyB's examples of "complicate" are all typos.

MrP **

How do you know that?
Guest   Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:43 pm GMT
*The quote from Young dates from 1742, when "complicate (adj.)" was still current. *

It is still current. Up to now, it's only your dictionary which calls it archaic, isn't it?
MollyB   Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:00 am GMT
For the last stage before Ahrat-ship Budda had ready a complicate system.

The Religions of India By Edward Washburn Hopkins
zatsu   Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:42 am GMT
Well, it's not like I'm a native English speaker, but since the word comes from Latin, this is what I think:

When used as an adjective, "Complicate" means complex and intricate, something made of several different things ingeniously put together. Therefore "complicate structure", "complicate system" or "complicate pattern".

"Complicated" has more to do with something hard or difficult, confusing.
Therefore a "complicated question", "complicated things" or "complicated life".


Maybe nowadays, as in everything else, not much of a distinction is made between them anymore?
MollyB   Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:27 am GMT
<Maybe nowadays, as in everything else, not much of a distinction is made between them anymore? >

I agree. And, in such situations, one of the words is normally pushed into the background or into oblivion.
Guest   Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:43 am GMT
No. A large distinction is made between them in science.
Pos   Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:14 am GMT
<No. A large distinction is made between them in science.>

Could you give us some examples of such?
MrPedantic   Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:35 pm GMT
<Mr Pedantic are you saying that those who use other dictionaries will be seen as fools if they use "complicate" as an adjective and outside the world of botany, etc?>

No, they will be seen as careless.

<Because you use the OED, you're safe from ridicule, right?>

As far as I know, one's choice of dictionary has no bearing on one's exposure to ridicule.

<How do you know that [they're typos]?>

Ask a hundred native speakers and report back on the results.

(Note by the way that when a leaf or insect wing is described as "complicate", the implication is not of "complicatedness", but of "foldedness".)

MrP
Guest   Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:01 am GMT
**How do you know that [they're typos]?>

Ask a hundred native speakers and report back on the results. **

OK, I'll do that, but why do YOU think they are typos? Can you analyse the texts for us?