Part and portion: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "{{a|plainenglish|}}{{quote| {{d|Part|/pɑːt/|n|}} An amount or section which, when combined with others, makes up the whole of something. {{d|Portion|/ˈpɔːʃᵊn/|n}} A part of a whole.}} Well, they are exact synonyms. Thereby, we should prefer part to portion because it is shorter and simpler. “Portion” probably exists to suit lawyers, who have a keening, er, ''ceteris paribus'', for synonyms that sound longer and more complicated. And when synonyms are conc...")
 
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{{d|Portion|/ˈpɔːʃᵊn/|n}}
{{d|Portion|/ˈpɔːʃᵊn/|n}}
A part of a whole.}}
A part of a whole.}}
Well, they are exact synonyms. Thereby, we should prefer part to portion because it is shorter and simpler. “Portion” probably exists to suit lawyers, who have a keening, er, ''[[ceteris paribus]]'', for synonyms that sound longer and more complicated. And when synonyms are concerned, by definition all else ''is'' equal.
Well, they are exact synonyms. Thereby, we should prefer part to portion because it is shorter and simpler. On this view “portion” probably exists only to suit [[lawyer]]<nowiki/>s, who have a yen, er, ''[[ceteris paribus]]'', for words that are longer and more complicated over ones that are short and squat.  


A portion feels some what more like a unitary subdivision of a greater massed whole: a portion of fries; a portion of notes, whereas a part is a bit of an indivisible whole: a part of my biscuit; a part of the security package — on this view part is to portion as less is to fewer — but the JC just made it up, so I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
And when true synonyms are concerned, by definition all else ''is'' equal.
 
A “portion” feels some what more like a unitary subdivision of a greater massed whole: a ''portion'' of fries; a ''portion'' of notes, whereas a “part” is a bit of something less plainly divisible: a ''part'' of my biscuit; a ''part'' of the security package — on this view ''part'' is to ''portion'' as ''less'' is to ''fewer'' — but the JC just made it up, so I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.

Latest revision as of 13:39, 6 December 2023

Towards more picturesque speech


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Part
/pɑːt/ (n.)
An amount or section which, when combined with others, makes up the whole of something. Portion
/ˈpɔːʃᵊn/ (n.)
A part of a whole.

Well, they are exact synonyms. Thereby, we should prefer part to portion because it is shorter and simpler. On this view “portion” probably exists only to suit lawyers, who have a yen, er, ceteris paribus, for words that are longer and more complicated over ones that are short and squat.

And when true synonyms are concerned, by definition all else is equal.

A “portion” feels some what more like a unitary subdivision of a greater massed whole: a portion of fries; a portion of notes, whereas a “part” is a bit of something less plainly divisible: a part of my biscuit; a part of the security package — on this view part is to portion as less is to fewer — but the JC just made it up, so I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.