"congruence" vs "congruity"
sl...@cc.usu.edu
greatly. This newsgroup provide me an invaluable education
on how to use English properly even though my English suffers
incoherency from the proper usages of English. However, I
appreciate for those who are eager to lend helping hands.
I encountered a difficulty to discern what would be the difference
in definition or subtlety of nuance in words "congruence"
and "congruity". When I faced with two words from my English-Korean
dictionary, I was baffled since two words seem to share exactly
same definitions. Thus I refered a English dictionary in library
to see what they mean, still I cannot see the difference clearly.
If they are two words of the same meaning, why were they evolved
from same etymological origin? Furthermore, I believe that they
would be some important differences in "-ence" and "-ity", can
anyone clear my confusion on these words? Thanks in advance.
Kang, Min Soo
sl...@cc.usu.edu
Mark Israel
> Hi! I am a newcomer and lurker, who [has] enjoyed this newsgroup
> greatly. This newsgroup provide[s] me [with] an invaluable
> education on how to use English properly, even though my English
> suffers incoherenc[e arising] from [ignorance of] the proper
> usage[] of English. However, I appreciate [...] those who are
> eager to lend helping hands.
>
> I encountered a difficulty [in] discern[ing ...] the difference
> in definition or [...] nuance in [the] words "congruence" and
> "congruity". When I [looked up the] two words [in] my English-
> Korean dictionary, I was baffled, since [the] two words seem to
> share exactly [the] same definition[]. Thus, I refer[r]ed [to]
> a[n] English dictionary in [the] library to see what they mean[;]
> still, I cannot see the difference clearly.
>
> If they are two words of the same meaning, why were they [derived]
> from the same etymological origin? Furthermore, I believe that
> the[re] would be some important differences in "-ence" and "-ity"[;]
> can anyone clear my confusion on these words? Thanks in advance.
"Congruence" and "congruity" are rare words (except in
mathematics). Only a *big* English dictionary will help you
distinguish them. Most native speakers of English would not know
the difference!
There is one sense in which they are synonymous. If you and I
agree on many things, I might say that there is a congruity, *or*
congruence, between your ideas and mine.
If I thought that your ideas were pleasing and harmonious, then I
might say "Your ideas have a congruity." (If you said, "Your ideas
have a congruence", then I would ask, "With what?")
If there were a single point of agreement between your ideas and
mine, then I might call that point "a congruity" (but not "a
congruence"). This is the antonym of the much commoner word
"incongruity".
For the two mathematical senses (two numbers' being equal modulo
a third number, and two geometric figures' being exactly
superposable), the adjective is "congruent", so "congruence" is the
better noun, although "congruity" is also occasionally used for the
geometric one.
In theology, only "congruity" has the meaning "merit bestowed as
a divine gift rather than earned".
In general, nouns in "-ity" come from adjectives "-ous", and
nouns in "-ence" or "-ance" come from adjectives in "-ent" or
"-ant". Alas, there is no general difference in meaning; you have
to learn each word separately.
--
mis...@scripps.edu Mark Israel