strict vs. severe

[hirashin]

Hello, native English speakers. Would you help me again?

(a) My teacher is very strict.
(b) My teacher is very severe.

Do (a) and (b) have the same meaning?

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin:sorry:

 

[Soggycake]

Severe is a bit negative or extreme, like a severe consequence. Strict is like a high expectation or actions maintained in a certain way. For example, someones parents may be strict about having your bed nice and clean, but severe doesn't fit there... because its not "extreme."
"He punted the kitten across the room, so he received severe punishment."
"The laws of kitten punting is very strict."
Excuse the silly examples, but I think it'll help you remember better. Hope this helped any.

 

[ClarkH]

Strict basically means "very specific". If a teacher is very strict, they require their students to perform in a very specific way.

(b) doesn't make sense.

Severe, like Soggycake says, basically means "extreme," but we never use it to describe a person or their behavior. We use this adjective to describe other things. e.g., "I have severe stomach pain." OR "If I don't follow my teacher's strict rules, I will receive severe punishment."

 

[hirashin]

Thank you for the help, Soggycake and Clark.

According to my dictionaries, "severe" can be used for describing people.
They carry some examples, such as "a severe teacher", "He is very severe
on/with his children." and "The teacher is rather severe in marking."
What do you think? Do they sound strange to you?

Hirashin

 

[Half-n-Half]

If you said "My teacher is severe", I would probably understand what you meant, but for me "My teacher is strict" sounds much more natural.

 

[ClarkH]

Hi Hirashin,

Yes, they sound strange.

"He is very severe on/with his children." It would be more natural to say, "he is very strict on/with his children."

"The teacher is rather severe in marking." It would be more natural to say, "the teacher is rather harsh in marking."

 

[ewww]

"He is very severe on/with his children." and "The teacher is rather severe in marking."
What do you think? Do they sound strange to you?

8/

If You find that "severe" was applied to somebody/something, think about it as about "disaster".

"severe" more reflects a way how "strictness" is achieved, and usually that word is used to show
that strictness was achieved in some delirious/frantic/freaky way.

It could sound rude or sarcastic if that word used to describe a person, however, it is quite normal
to use it to describe person's appearance, for example "My teacher is dressed severe."

That word is more suitable for weather conditions or any kind of hazardous situation.

 

[ClarkH]

...it is quite normal
to use it to describe person's appearance, for example "My teacher is dressed severe."

I've never heard the word used like this. I'm not even quite sure what this is supposed to mean. Does it mean the teacher is dressed for severe weather? e.g., wearing winter clothes?

Also, I think the correct form would be, "my teacher is dressed severely," but I still wouldn't quite understand what this means.

I've never heard it used to describe a person's appearance, except maybe "my teacher is severely overdressed."

 

[ewww]

I've never heard the word used like this. I'm not even quite sure what this is supposed to mean. Does it mean the teacher is dressed for severe weather? e.g., wearing winter clothes?

That is slang expression, which I picked up from local tourists - cross country runners. It has many, but very sarcastic, meanings, and, prolly, word "awareness" is the closest to it by meaning. For example, You are going to watch movie with a girlfriend, and You get large rubber boots, for the case of flood, hat with mesh for mosquitos, shovel and hammer on Your belt; and compas on Your neck is paired with special wistle to repell snakes and sharks, and ... I will omit some details, but do not be surprised if somebody will tell about You : "O-oh, he is severe". One small detail, if You will put on some cool and sporty and pricey oakley shades, in that case it will be: "O-oh, he is severely fast" *lol*

 

[Aryth]

Thank you for the help, Soggycake and Clark.
According to my dictionaries, "severe" can be used for describing people.
They carry some examples, such as "a severe teacher", "He is very severe
on/with his children." and "The teacher is rather severe in marking."
What do you think? Do they sound strange to you?
Hirashin

Severe can be used to describe people, but it is a little more specific than that. Severe describes qualities, while strict describes how something is done. If a teacher is strict, then sometimes their punishments are severe. This sentence, for example, would make no sense if the words were swapped (or at the very least lose the intended meaning). Severe and strict are not interchangeable.

 

[hirashin]

"He punted the kitten across the room, so he received severe punishment."
"The laws of kitten punting is very strict."
Excuse the silly examples, but I think it'll help you remember better. Hope this helped any.

Hello, Soggycake. I have a question. What does "punt" mean in your sentences? Does it mean "kick"?

Hirashin

---------- Post added at 03:21 ---------- Previous post was at 03:18 ----------

Thanks for your help, Half-n-half, ClarkH, ewww and Aryth.

I appreciate it.

Hirashin

 

[Soggycake]

Yep, pretty much. It's when you drop a ball(or some other object) and kick it before it reaches the ground.

 

[ewww]

Does it mean "kick"?

Sorry, I am not Soggycake. IMHO:

kick is a strike with a foot
punt is a strike with a hand
punch is a strike with a fist

I added "punch" here as another type of strike with hand, just to show, that "punting of kitten" is not that big crime, and it could not be a reason for "severe punishment".

---------- Post added at 14:50 ---------- Previous post was at 14:45 ----------

Yep, pretty much. It's when you drop a ball(or some other object) and kick it before it reaches the ground.

Yeah, You are right, like in soccer.

 

[Soggycake]

punt is a strike with a hand

Frankly, I don't think punting has anything to do with hands. I could kinda see it in volleyball, but that's a serve, right? At least in the dictionary, there's no key word in there for hand.

"Punting of kitten" is not that big crime, and it could not be a reason for "severe punishment".

It was just a lame joke.

 

[ewww]

Frankly, I don't think punting has anything to do with hands. I could kinda see it in volleyball, but that's a serve, right? At least in the dictionary, there's no key word in there for hand.

He-he, You are right, it is from volleyball. Just checked > dictionary <
That my comment was quite missleading. hirashin, I am so sorry!

It was just a lame joke.

I was joking too, sorry for that

 

[ClarkH]

Punting is from American football. It is this:

2 Good Punts - YouTube

 

[hirashin]

Sorry, I'm confused...

Does "punting a kitten" mean to drop a kitten and kick it before it reaches the ground?＠.＠

Hirashin

 

[Soggycake]

Sorry, I'm confused...
Does "punting a kitten" mean to drop a kitten and kick it before it reaches the ground?＠.＠
Hirashin

Yeah, it does. Now I regret even giving that example lol..

 

[ewww]

BAAAD Soggycake!

poor kitty