1. DromedaryLights

    DromedaryLights Active Member

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    What's the different between a preference and an opinion? Is one a subcategory of the other?

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by DromedaryLights, Aug 25, 2014.

    Help settle a debate!
     
  2. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    A preference is about choice.
    An opinion is about conclusions/beliefs/facts/etc.

    I don't see one as a subcategory of the other. Though the words can overlap if you want to have a opinion that your preference is 'better' or 'prettier' or some other quality.
     
  3. Kat Hawthorne

    Kat Hawthorne New Member

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    I prefer dogs to cats.

    It is my opinion that dogs are friendlier than cats.

    Two different words that mean two different things. Substitute the word "prefer" for "like" and substitute "opinion," for "judgement." Does that help?
     
  4. digitig

    digitig Contributor Contributor

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    As far as I can see, an opinion can be correct or incorrect, whereas a preference simply is. On the other hand, I can see how the boundary can be blurry, because something like "George R R Martin's writing is too wordy" seems to be a opinion - true or false - but at heart it's really just a preference about how wordy you like a writer to be.
     
    DromedaryLights likes this.

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