difference between dumb and stupid

[Lost_Soul]

I'm not sure but I believe in AmE dumb means stupid. I heard it many times used in the sense of "stupid".
Let's hear what Amy has to say, since she is a pro in AmE

[Yankee]

I'm sure you have heard the word 'dumb' used to mean 'stupid', Alex. That is an extremely common way to use the word 'dumb'.

A quick look at the American Heritage Dictionary (definition 6) will verify that meaning of the word 'dumb' for anyone who's interested:

[Alan]

Hi,

Of course 'dumb' can mean 'stupid' in various contexts. The test wants you to choose for that particular sentence where 'stupid' conveys the idea of not knowing something/not understanding something.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Cool Expressions

[Yankee]

Hi Alan

I guess you missed my point completely. On this side of the pond, the word 'dumb' would also work just fine in the context of the test sentence. It is frequently used that way.

Or are we to take this test as a "British usage only" sort of test?
.

[Alan]

Hi,

It's just an English test.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story A day in the life of a driving instructor

[Yankee]

[Alan]

Hi,

It is not exclusive in any sense. 'Dumb' suggests stupid in a broad sense often referring to attitude and behaviour. 'Stupid' in the test refers to not knowing or understanding.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story The Name of the Game

[Yankee]

.
Are you familiar with the word insular, Alan?
Apparently, it is sometimes next to impossible for you to understand things outside the borders of your tiny island nation. That's pretty astounding for someone who claims to be very open and flexible when it comes to the English language.
.

[Alan]

Oh dear! I see you're back to your old tricks again - resorting to personal abuse.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Sea Expressions

[Yankee]

Have you ever seen the movie Dumb and Dumber, Alan?

[Yankee]

Hi Alan

Your test sentence does not reflect widespread usage. Without a correction, the test simply provides test-takers with wrong information.
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic1890.html#100454
Here are some further examples of actual usage of the word 'dumb' in American English. Perhaps the fact that none of these sentences were written by me will be more convincing for you:

- I'm afraid I'll do something dumb.
- Investors, after all, aren't dumb.
- It's not the first time they've been dumb in this sort of thing. They don't understand us.
- I was so young and dumb, I believed him.
- That was dumb, maybe, but not deliberate.
- You must be pretty dumb not to know your own telephone number.
- You're so dumb sometimes, Pat.
- It was dumb of us to go out without saying anything.
- Well, I guess I am a dumb bozo, since I've no idea what the "digital elite" is.
- I couldn't believe it. How could they be so dumb?
- That was a dumb question. I didn't think.
- There's no such thing as a dumb question.
- There are no dumb questions or dumb answers. Let's unclog your brains.
- Collins is far from being dumb; indeed, he is sharp-witted and intelligent.
- She's dumb for sticking around. But hey I'm not going to get involved.
- And that dumb copper was just mistaken. I believe that he was sincere in thinking that...
- I was too dumb to buy it myself.
- I feel like I said something dumb
- I made a mistake. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
- Boys are dumb that way, my mother told me.
- Of all the dumb things this kid has done, this has to be at the top of the list.
- She's dumb as a box of rocks...
- You're dumb as sticks.
- You're not dumb, boys and girls, you're just not educated.
- I mean, if they were dumb enough to leave their fingerprints...
- No, but then that would be just plain dumb in the context of buying a car.
- I felt kinda dumb for getting myself into that situation.
- I see, and that was dumb of me to say...
- That's foolish! I'm not that dumb.
- Dumb way to start this, I guess.
- You make your move, and if it's a dumb move the computer says to you...
- But, the fact of the matter is very smart folks may have very dumb moves in the stock market.
- I thought she was dumb.
- Bootsie sounds dumb as grits-- which would make her a good match for B. J.
- Maybe she's so dumb she thinks I'm still mulling it over.
- I'll feel kind of dumb down there if some guy asks me and I get it wrong.
- We are not that smart and we're not that dumb.
- Get real! Are there really people dumb enough to believe this?
- They would laugh about all this, how dumb everyone was.
- You can call Disney executives a lot of names, but dumb isn't one of them.
- I never went to look. Wasn't that dumb?
- How can he be so dumb as to pass up this opportunity?
- This desire to be above reproach was dumb for a thousand reasons.
- How could you be dumb enough to call out to me like that when you knew she was here.
- Bucky isn't dumb, but he's probably all of twenty-three years old and doesn't have much experience with bureaucracy.
- I didn't want country music or its audience to look ignorant or dumb.
- Basically, I just played poorly and made dumb decisions.
- I'd have to be really dumb to do that.
- I have a giant dumb area of my brain.
- I know it sounds dumb, but it's a place to start. As good as anything.
- Maybe we're dumb, but we wouldn't be anyplace else on earth.
- He was too dumb to see what was going on.
- I hope you're not too dumb to understand what I'm saying
- I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly, trying my best to sound dumb, casual and open.
- Of course not. Don't be dumb.
- I did a dumb thing.
- I know, it was a dumb thing to say
- And yet, you have to be a pretty dumb middle manager not to know that the end result...
- Why do you want to do a dumb thing like that? All you have to do is tune-up the old original...
- Why would they be so dumb or so irresponsible?
- I'm sorry I acted so dumb that night.
- You must think I'm dumb. What are you bugging me for? I know what to do!
- You can't do a song like that today. It would be dumb, stupid and ridiculous.
- Obviously, if they thought we were doing something dumb, they'd tell us about it and we'd change it...
- They're so dumb they just stand there and let you shoot them.
- I shrug. I act dumb. She believes it.
- I was dumb, innocent, curious...
- Nina would see how dumb I am because I don't know.
- This sounds dumb, but were you in the navy?
- Jerry was just a jerk -- he got in too far and made a dumb mistake.
- It was a dumb move. By the time I reached Spruce Creek, they were all gone.
- He felt ashamed that he had been so dumb,
- Didn't those dumb hippies know that nukes were a thing of the past?
- That's a dumb thing to say.
- She's a dumb blonde.
- He's too dumb to realize
- Where do they get off telling you that you're dumb?
- I mean, I was -- I was business dumb.
- All right, it was a dumb and misguided policy...
- I never thought the Democrats would be dumb enough to nominate him...
- Being dumb is not impeachable or else our previous dumb presidents would have been impeached.
- It was a dumb decision by the White House.
- It seems pretty dumb to me not to just put it all out the first day.
- Now what does that mean, that you're too dumb to do both?
- Feeling like a dumb cluck, I nevertheless looked at my watch and groaned...
- It's a dumb thing to ask, he knows, the minute he says it.
- What a dumb, dumb thing to say.
- I'm so dumb. And I really am sorry about this phone call.
- You never say anything dumb.
- I'm not so dumb. Man cannot live on blintzes alone, you know.
- The voters are not as dumb and inert and gullible as the consultants and the media have assumed.
- We'd talk politics, and he wasn't dumb about it like most actors.
- It was a dumb thing I did, Larry.
- But y'all think it's dumb of me
- Today, I read the most dumb, moronic, stupid and unintelligent statement of all time.
- Here's a dumb idea.
- It's as dumb as the idea as George Bush and his no-fly zone.
- What it's saying is that you ought to be dumb enough to do what everybody else does...
- I would take that as a dumb, stupid thing to do and a joke
- That's the craziest, dumb ass thing I ever heard tell of.
- The guards were thrown out for being dumb and stupid.
- I know that I've been a dumb bastard, but I'm going to make a real effort to save our relationship
- It was a dumb title and a dumb thing for her to choose.
- Course, we did some dumb things back then.
- Too young and dumb about the world and men,
- Are you going to cry now too? That would be dumb.
- Josh, don't be dumb.
- Michael said nothing but began to understand how dumb he'd been for the last three days...
- Because it makes me feel so totally stupid. Naive. Dumb.
- When I came into the system, I was young and dumb...
- She didn't want to appear dumb and didn't want to ask the boss to repeat the directions.
- You're dumb for raising your baby around the gang.
- Did I feel dumb or what?
- Well, this a going to sound kind of dumb, but how does a Newtonian reflector work?
- That's just the sort of dumb question I'd expect from you, Jake.
- My grandpa did something dumb at Indianapolis.
- That was a dumb, dumb mistake you made.
- It was a dumb excuse to fight, but ...
- I smoked. It's stupid. Dumb. There you go. Why do we do dumb things?
- But the difference is when you or I, Marty, make a dumb decision, we've just screwed up...
- You're dumb. You're stupid. You don't get it.
.
.

I trust that long list of examples is sufficient for you to better understand American usage. If that's not yet sufficient, there are plenty more examples to be found. Simply do a bit of research yourself if for some inexplicable reason you still feel unsure.

You once suggested that I could write tests here. Well, if I had ever written a test sentence using the word 'dumb', I would have had no problem whatsoever producing one similar to yours. For example:
I guess you must think I'm dumb because I don't understand that.

The main difference would have been that I would not have asked learners to choose between 'dumb' and 'stupid' in that sentence -- because BOTH of those words can be correctly used in the context.
.

[Alan]

Hi,

Are you familiar with the word over-egging, Amy?

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Womens' Day

[Yankee]

Well, it seems that without plenty of supporting evidence, you simply choose to reject the idea that there might ever be any difference between AmE and BE.

You're right, of course. I shouldn't have to post so many examples. It really should be enough if I could simply tell you that there is a difference in usage. However, you have already made it crystal clear on more than one occasion that the "simple method" is not enough for you. Thus, I've provided you with what I think is more than enough "eggs" to convince you that I know a little something about common, standard usage in AmE -- something about usage that you apparently did not know.

Are you now willing to correct the test?
.

[Jamie (K)]

[Jamie (K)]