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#2 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 7:12 am complicate vs. complicated |
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Should be (B). And "complicate" can't be used as an adjective, I think. |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 2471 Location: Japan
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#3 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 8:40 am complicate vs. complicated |
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Haihao wrote: | Should be (B). And "complicate" can't be used as an adjective, I think. |
Indeed it can:
ADJECTIVE: (-kt)1. Complex, intricate, and involved. 2. Biology Folded longitudinally one or several times, as certain leaves or the wings of some insects.
http://www.bartleby.com/61/11/C0531100.html
Note the different pronunciation. |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#4 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 8:43 am complicate vs. complicated |
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Oh yes, it can. My ignorance, very sorry. |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 2471 Location: Japan
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#5 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 8:44 am complicate vs. complicated |
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No, it was a surprise to me also. |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#6 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 11:38 am complicate vs. complicated |
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Molly wrote: | Haihao wrote: | Should be (B). And "complicate" can't be used as an adjective, I think. |
Indeed it can:
ADJECTIVE: (-kt)1. Complex, intricate, and involved. 2. Biology Folded longitudinally one or several times, as certain leaves or the wings of some insects.
http://www.bartleby.com/61/11/C0531100.html
Note the different pronunciation. |
This usage appears to be limited to the field of biology, and an ordinary person can go through his entire life without encountering it. For all other usages, it's best to go with "complicated". |
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Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 6771 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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#7 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 12:22 pm complicate vs. complicated |
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Jamie (K) wrote: | This usage appears to be limited to the field of biology, and an ordinary person can go through his entire life without encountering it. For all other usages, it's best to go with "complicated". |
Maybe, Jamie, but can you answer this question?
Quote: | Then, how is different from 'complicated'? |
BTW, do you expect that only ordinary learners visit this site? |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#8 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 13:07 pm complicate vs. complicated |
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I guess the difference between 'complicated' and 'complicate' (both adjectives) is, 'complicated' bears a sense of 'been made complex' whereas 'complicate' just 'been complex'. |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 2471 Location: Japan
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#9 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 13:29 pm complicate vs. complicated |
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Haihao wrote: | I guess the difference between 'complicated' and 'complicate' (both adjectives) is, 'complicated' bears a sense of 'been made complex' whereas 'complicate' just 'been complex'. |
I'd say that "complicate" as an adjective would mean something to the effect of "of complex composition". |
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Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 6771 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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#10 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 13:33 pm complicate vs. complicated |
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But ''complicated' would as well mean "of complex composition" = "containing intricately combined or involved parts" |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 2471 Location: Japan
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#11 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 13:39 pm complicate vs. complicated |
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Haihao wrote: | But ''complicated' would as well mean "of complex composition" = "containing intricately combined or involved parts" |
There is a different feeling between one and the other that I'm having trouble coming up with an explanation for. This is going to require some thinking. |
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Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 6771 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
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#13 (permalink) Fri May 30, 2008 20:51 pm complicate vs. complicated |
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This clears everything up! Thank you, Molly. |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 2471 Location: Japan
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#14 (permalink) Sat May 31, 2008 1:49 am complicate vs. complicated |
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I could conclude then both complicate and complicated 'can' fill in the blank above. The question above is not a good one... But the direction says(I didn't put it here) 'Select the best answer to complete the sentence'. Then I think the best answer goes to 'complicated'. I googled and found out the word 'procedure' is usually used with 'complicated', not 'complicate'. Besides, I checked www.americancorpus.org , and it showed that complicate is almost used as a verb. Surely, complicate 'can' fill in the blank, but most of native speakers use 'complicated' instead of it and think the latter is more natural... my guess.
Anyway, thank you for answering my question. I'm really glad many 'GOSUes'(In Korean, 'Gosu'[gosu] literally means 'a better hand', standing for someone with higher skills, an expert, or a superior.) help me out here. :D |
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Sweetpumpkin I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 566 Location: S.Korea
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#15 (permalink) Sat May 31, 2008 8:46 am complicate vs. complicated |
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Quote: | I could conclude then both complicate and complicated 'can' fill in the blank above. |
I agree. |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
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"Walking on the footpath" vs "Walking along the footpath" | I've drunk two cups of tea this morning. vs I drank two cups of tea this morning. |