GIVE ANSWERS - English

100% GOOD (4 votes)AnsweredLanguage Question
Difference between "Actually", "In fact" and "Indeed" ?

GIVE ANSWERS

exRanger profile picture exRangerSeptember 2019
Oh dear lord, Vincent, Americans and Brits use these three -- but two in particular -- so often and in such an "interchangeable" way(s) that there is practically no longer a "distinctly unique" meaning to them. This is (alluded to above) particularly the case re: "Actually" and "In fact". To complicate matters further, one will often hear/read English (so-called) "native" speakers use, also interchangeably, "Indeed" and "Really". [note: and one could make a case for including in this array of nonsense the word "Well"]

The whole lot of them, i.e., these terms, constitutes a huge mess. Honestly, i strive to avoid using all of them in conversation and/or written communication as they are little more than meaningless "filler" words/terminology.

An example of how ridiculous -- and meaningless -- these words/terms are: "Did John actually in fact say that? Indeed? Well then..." Etc etc etc.

Some "native" speaker might drop into this comment space and attempt to offer up "distinctions" but take caution, it's all "snake oil" (American expression for something worthless and false being sold to someone). My advice is to avoid using these words and when you encounter them -- as you invariably will - in conversation w/ an American or Brit, think of their "collective" meaning as you might the word "So", yet another OVERUSED "NOTHING" WORD in English. I wish I could think of an equivalent French word(s) to better convey the inanity of these words; in Russian I cannot think of such words because the Russian language, by & large, does not include such drivel. I don't know, let's see: maybe "donc"?
  • vincent profile picture vincentSeptember 2019
    exR, very interesting answer ! in French there are also many fill-up words like:
    en fait,
    quoi
    ben
    eh ben,

  • exRanger profile picture exRangerSeptember 2019
    Vincent:

    Interestingly and not coincidentally, I have in the last 10-15 minutes received several "messages" @ the PG "chat" and most of them contain the word "really" and, in every instance, I was able to rewrite (in my head, of course) the message sent to me AND exclude the word "really". It is so darned superfluous. Here's a good American string of words for you: "Really is, like, really, you know, unnecessary, like, well, you know, you don't in fact you don't need it at all." (sorry, couldn't find a "fit" for "Indeed" in that example. On the other hand I could have tossed in "So" @ least twice. Donc?
MarthaO profile picture MarthaOSeptember 2019
Since you speak some Italian, "actually" is the same as "in realtà. "In fact" is also the same. (reality and fact are closely related, no?