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Laura F. Spira
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:11 am
Post subject: Decisions, decisions... |
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Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
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Salvatore Volatile
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:11 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Laura F. Spira wrote:
| Quote: | Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
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A few years ago we had a discussion of this (or more than one maybe) in
AUE. The gist of it is, is, "take a decision" is BrE (PostRon[say...]?).
In AmE we only accept "make a decision". |
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Robert Lieblich
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:28 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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"Laura F. Spira" wrote:
| Quote: |
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
|
Getting a bit self-referential, aren't we?
In my version of English, "make a decision" is standard and "take a
decision" is dialectal. I'll bet others will report exactly the
opposite.
--
Bob Lieblich
Making a stand
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:43 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Laura F. Spira <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> spake thusly:
| Quote: | Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
|
I'm sorry to say that I think there's a difference and I might use
either. I'm sorry, because now I have to try to enunciate the
difference.
"take" seems very formal, and I would use it where the decision is to
be published or recorded. "make" seems more personal and I would use
it where the decision is not relevant to others.
So, at work, where money is involved and other people are affected, I
might take a decision, but if I go for a walk and could turn left or
right at the end of the road, I would make the decision.
--
David
=====
replace usenet with the |
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TakenEvent
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 1:58 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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"Laura F. Spira" <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dklh1a$mq2$2@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
| Quote: | Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
|
Depends where you are. Google reports "take a decision" is primarily
British, which is good, since I've never heard it in any sense where it
would be identical to "make a decision." Are you toting the decision
anywhere, or are you fabricating it yourself? In a courtroom, defendants
seem to be required to take the judge's or jury's decision standing up. In
that sense, I would much rather make a decision than take one. |
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Maria Conlon
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:04 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Robert Lieblich wrote:
| Quote: | "Laura F. Spira" wrote:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a
difference? I can't decide.
Getting a bit self-referential, aren't we?
In my version of English, "make a decision" is standard and "take a
decision" is dialectal. I'll bet others will report exactly the
opposite.
|
Not exactly the opposite: I "make a decision," but feel that "take a
decision" is something less than dialect. Perhaps I'd call it "trendy"
usage, or a "buzzword" phrase, or a fad.
Anyway, I think that "take a decision" will only become dialect if it
lasts a long time: more than just a few years.
BTW, I seldom hear the "take" version, but maybe that's because I'm no
longer in the workplace. Others in aue seem to hear the "take" version
regularly. True?
--
Maria Conlon, resident of southeast Michigan, near Detroit. |
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Donna Richoux
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:08 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Laura F. Spira <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> wrote:
| Quote: | Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
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For me, it's always "make" a decision. "Take" a decision is something
Brits might do.
--
Best - Donna Richoux |
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Maria Conlon
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:41 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Maria Conlon wrote:
| Quote: | Robert Lieblich wrote:
"Laura F. Spira" wrote:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a
difference? I can't decide.
Getting a bit self-referential, aren't we?
In my version of English, "make a decision" is standard and "take a
decision" is dialectal. I'll bet others will report exactly the
opposite.
Not exactly the opposite: I "make a decision," but feel that "take a
decision" is something less than dialect. Perhaps I'd call it
"trendy" usage, or a "buzzword" phrase, or a fad.
Anyway, I think that "take a decision" will only become dialect if it
lasts a long time: more than just a few years.
BTW, I seldom hear the "take" version, but maybe that's because I'm no
longer in the workplace. Others in aue seem to hear the "take" version
regularly. True?
|
My reply, above, refers only to the US. The UK is another matter, and I
meant to mention that the "take" version seems to be common there (per
things I've seen in aue).
--
Maria Conlon, getting very forgetful. |
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Paul Wolff
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:33 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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In message <MPG.1dd85f131e02288898a206@news.ntlworld.com>, the Omrud
<usenet.omrud@gmail.com> writes
| Quote: | Laura F. Spira <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> spake thusly:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
I'm sorry to say that I think there's a difference and I might use
either. I'm sorry, because now I have to try to enunciate the
difference.
"take" seems very formal, and I would use it where the decision is to
be published or recorded. "make" seems more personal and I would use
it where the decision is not relevant to others.
So, at work, where money is involved and other people are affected, I
might take a decision, but if I go for a walk and could turn left or
right at the end of the road, I would make the decision.
Spot on. The SalVo-Areffian accolade is well earned. |
--
Paul
In bocca al Lupo! |
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Philip Eden
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:42 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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"Laura F. Spira" <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dklh1a$mq2$2@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
| Quote: | Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
I make decisions. I might also take a decision to do something, |
though usually in the past tense. If I were feeling particularly
indecisive, I might eventually come to a decision.
Philip Eden |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:03 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Paul Wolff <bounceme@two.wolff.co.uk> spake thusly:
| Quote: | In message <MPG.1dd85f131e02288898a206@news.ntlworld.com>, the Omrud
usenet.omrud@gmail.com> writes
Laura F. Spira <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> spake thusly:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
I'm sorry to say that I think there's a difference and I might use
either. I'm sorry, because now I have to try to enunciate the
difference.
"take" seems very formal, and I would use it where the decision is to
be published or recorded. "make" seems more personal and I would use
it where the decision is not relevant to others.
So, at work, where money is involved and other people are affected, I
might take a decision, but if I go for a walk and could turn left or
right at the end of the road, I would make the decision.
Spot on. The SalVo-Areffian accolade is well earned.
|
Gosh. I'd like to announce that I've taken the decision to be doubly
flattered.
--
David
=====
replace usenet with the |
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Laura F. Spira
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:12 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Robert Lieblich wrote:
| Quote: | "Laura F. Spira" wrote:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
Getting a bit self-referential, aren't we?
In my version of English, "make a decision" is standard and "take a
decision" is dialectal. I'll bet others will report exactly the
opposite.
|
But why doesn't anyone simply decide?
--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email) |
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John Dean
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:23 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Laura F. Spira wrote:
| Quote: | Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference?
I can't decide.
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I make them.
--
John Dean
Oxford |
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John Dean
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:25 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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Laura F. Spira wrote:
| Quote: | Robert Lieblich wrote:
"Laura F. Spira" wrote:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a
difference? I can't decide.
Getting a bit self-referential, aren't we?
In my version of English, "make a decision" is standard and "take a
decision" is dialectal. I'll bet others will report exactly the
opposite.
But why doesn't anyone simply decide?
|
Do you want to amend your original post to "Do you take a decision or
make a decision or simply *decide*? Is there a difference? I
can't decide."?
--
John Dean
Oxford |
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Ross Howard
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 6:28 am
Post subject: Re: Decisions, decisions... |
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On Sun, 06 Nov 2005 18:43:57 GMT, the Omrud <usenet.omrud@gmail.com>
wrought:
| Quote: | Laura F. Spira <laura@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> spake thusly:
Do you *take* a decision or *make* a decision? Is there a difference? I
can't decide.
I'm sorry to say that I think there's a difference and I might use
either. I'm sorry, because now I have to try to enunciate the
difference.
"take" seems very formal, and I would use it where the decision is to
be published or recorded. "make" seems more personal and I would use
it where the decision is not relevant to others.
So, at work, where money is involved and other people are affected, I
might take a decision, but if I go for a walk and could turn left or
right at the end of the road, I would make the decision.
|
I agree completely. Why, though, is "decision-making" and not
"decision-taking" part of a manager's job description?
--
Ross Howard |
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