Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • Obliged or obligated?
  • johndoh
    Free Member

    The same? Different? Similar?

    aP
    Free Member

    Related, but different emphasis.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Actually, it’s obligatorized.

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    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    você é bem-vindo al

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Obliged = should, obligated = must.

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    Obligated is pretty antiquated in Britain, possibly with the exception of Scotland. Obliged is the norm in modern British English and means both “should” and “must”.

    It’s much more common in the US and does seem to retain a specific usage in the legal world (I’ve yet to deal with an English lawyer who insists on it over “obliged”, and am confident any time I use “obliged” in documents, it’s clearly understood – but I couldn’t tell you if there was any case law on it).

    So, in the modern context it has become an Americanism. Nothing wrong with that, other than weird sneering Brits.

    bencooper
    Free Member

    If you do something nice for me, I’d be obliged.
    If I have to do something for you, I’m obligated.

    To me at least, “obligated” implies compulsion whereas “obliged” usually does not (though sometimes does depending on context).

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    If you do something nice for me, I’d be obliged (to do something in return.)

    i.e.I owe you one.
    It implies a duty.

    If I have to do something for you, I’m obligated/obliged

    Still implies a duty.
    Obligated is a pretty ugly word though from the same vocabulary as words such as “competency”

    crankboy
    Free Member

    Obliged internal pressure. Obligated external pressure. I feel obliged to do my best for my mum because she has always done the same for me. I am obligated to obey my employer as I have a contract of employment .

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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