Woke Up Vs. Awakened

I awakened earlier than usual because I had to work in the lab.

I woke up earlier than usual because I had to work in the lab.

Are both acceptable? This is not a homework assignment. I was going over something written by a researcher from a non-English speaking country and I casually said that both were acceptable. Did I "oops"? My spouse disagrees with me.

I believe AWAKENED is formal and/or archaic

I've read that as well, but is it acceptable for written usage? Thanks!

They're both acceptable, yes. I would still prefer "woke up" except in literary contexts, though.

I tell you why I'm awake at this crappy hour of a Sunday morning - bloody thunder! I was awakened by God moving his furniture around in noisy fashion. I awoke to the almighty crash of thunderclaps. See - I used both terms.

No, you used "awakened" and "awoke", not "awakened" and "woke up". ;)

But "I was awakened by God" sounds better than "I was woken up by God"... somehow it sounds less awkward. I'm not sure why. Maybe "was woken up by" sounds awkward because it's a verbal phrase spanning four words, even though it's the same number of syllables.

- Kef

There you go. Both are acceptable. Sometimes one is more awkward in a given sentence so you use the other.

What is the difference between "I awoke", "I awakened" and "I woke up", then?

I understand "I was awakened", but that's something different.

They're all the same in literal meaning. "I awoke" strikes me as a bit less literary than "I awakened", but still more literary than "I woke up".

You would definitely say "awoke" rather than "awakened" but it is still archaic. You should say "woke up."

Actually, I suggested "woke up" to the researcher, but he wanted to know about using some form of "awakened" or "awake", so I suggested "awakened" to him. My spouse said that one can only BE awakened. I disagree. The dictionary allows that one meaning is to simply stop sleeping.

I wonder why we have so many ways to say this.

"You would definitely say "awoke" rather than "awakened" but it is still archaic. You should say "woke up.""

Really? Though I am a native speaker, I always thought the whole clusters of "wake" and "awake" leading to "awaken," "awoken," etc., to be confusing. I really only use "awake" as an adjective, and I only use "awaken" if I'm trying to sound archaic. I prefer just "wake up."

awake = not sleeping
woken up = not sleeping (anymore) :)
to wake up = the verb

;)
http://www.bartleby.com/68/22/6422.html

''Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.

wake, waken (vv.)


The principal parts of wake, one set strong, the other weak, are in divided usage in Standard English. For the past tense the strong verb form woke is a bit more frequent than the weak waked: Yesterday I woke [waked] early; for past participle the strong woken is a bit more frequent than the weak waked: She had always woken [waked] before six. But see also AWAKE.''

I'm a bit archaic, myself. In all my years as a reader (mostly sci fi, some historical) and a conversationalist, I don't recall the use of the word 'woken', except in some little poetry.
I recall woke, awoke, wake, and awake in common usage until recently when the term woken or awokened startled me and now I find it increasingly common.

<<But "I was awakened by God" sounds better than "I was woken up by God"... somehow it sounds less awkward. I'm not sure why.>>

In this example (awakened by God) should be used, it refers to a spiritual awareness if you like, more than it refers to waking up per say.

<<I tell you why I'm awake at this crappy hour of a Sunday morning - bloody thunder! I was awakened by God moving his furniture around in noisy fashion. I awoke to the almighty crash of thunderclaps. See - I used both terms.>>

Why people find the term archaic escapes me, surely they're non native English speakers :D

Knowledge is *the* GOD and ignorance is *the* DEVIL. It amazes me that all to many people still believe in all these various religious rants spewed all over this planet 24/7.