Ill or sick?

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Ayda
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Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:46 am
Location: United Arab Emirates

Post by Ayda »

Hi Gina,
As far as i know that those words hasnt that different. You can use both of them as you want because they have the same different. From my limit knowlegFrom my limited knowledge all what I know that the only different between those 2 words. That one of them is British and the other is American. That’s the entire story.

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However, mainly people are using the word sick rather than ill. For example you can say I feel sick, and you can say I feel ill. But manly you won’t hear people saying that as I know. There is no fault or correct one its all that I feel sick sound more nice than I feel ill

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On the other hand you can say I was ill yesterday. It sound more normal than saying I feel ill. But for me I wont tell you that I will ever say I feel ill. It just like that.

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That’s all I hope that I have helped you a bit, wish you all the best.

Best regards,
Ayda
A . A
Ayda
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Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:46 am
Location: United Arab Emirates

Post by Ayda »

HI Gina,

Well you are most welcome, yes sure we can exchange mails and if you have any question feel free to ask and i will be pleased to answer you as much as i can

Best regards,
Ayda
A . A
Ayda
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Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:46 am
Location: United Arab Emirates

Post by Ayda »

Hi Gina,

Well You are most welcome for any help as far as i can do it. Yes i am an English learning student, and from UAE. Well for me yes i like English but not that much. However, in the college where i study its force me to work with my English wether i like it or not. Its all that if you want to pass, you have to be good in it. That why am here using this form in a way to improve my English as well. Thats all for now.

Best regards,
Ayda
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Pirate
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Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2003 6:58 am
Status: Learner of English
Location: Vietnam

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Post by Pirate »

Hey everyone

Well it's good to see that u are helping each other in English. But plz remember that this is NOT a place for chatting, even in ur own topic(s). You can contact ur friends by private messages, or by emails, etc (look at the contact information).

And u, Gina it's possible to edit ur own posts.

By the way talking about ill and sick, there is a bit difference in the way we use them.
You can say
I'm sick of something/someone.
S/he makes me sick.
...

'ill' is not often used in these cases. 'Ill' is somehow quite physical.


Actually there's a place for asking English problems help.englishclub.com and it's the more right place than here.

It's great to see all of you filling the forum. But just take room for English here, okay? :wink:
Mandy2
Member
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 10:37 pm

Post by Mandy2 »

I was thinking about the usage of sick/ill also and went ahead to ask a native speaker from Texas.

Here's what he answered:


Here in Texas I think there's no difference however it's my opinion that sick is in much more common use. Ill seems more "polite".
Jack

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Dear All,
When I hear someone exclaims, "I am sick!", I have the perception that he/she is disgusted, or he/she dislikes something. To say that one is ill, I often hear other expressions, such as "I feel/am/get unwell", or "I am/get/feel under the weather."
Haliman, a non-native speaker.

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Haliman,
You are exactly right. I'm sick of this job. I'm sick and tired of
answering your stupid questions. I'm sick of this hot weather.
When it doesn't mean ill we would need more context to give a definition.

I believe Mandy did specify the context to mean medically speaking.
It is used to mean ill. I'm sick and cannot come into work today.
I've been sick all week with the flu.
As far as meaning ill, I'll go with my first response that sick is
more commonly used than ill, at least in Texas. I think in this
context the two words are synonyms.
"I am not feeling well today" and "I'm feeling under the weather
today" would be a feeling of discomfort, not necessarily sick enough to be confined to the bed.
Perhaps sick is used more often because it's a shorter word when spoken than ill which takes longer to pronounce the "L's" than the "K" sound of sick.
Jack

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Hope this helps.
Mandy
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