Calling all English Geeks

[andrewducker]

(That's the language, not the country)

When would you use "Start" and when would you use "Begin"?

Comments

[princealbert.livejournal.com]

Well I would start with begin, and always, always begin with start.

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

I would use "Start" when shutting down Windows XP, and "Begin" when referring to the former Israeli prime minister.

[broin.livejournal.com]

*chortle*

[(Anonymous)]

I would sometimes offer a starter for ten, but I would never offer a beginner for ten.

[odheirre.livejournal.com]

I'd say they could be used interchangeably, as long as you are consistent.

Having said that, start puts the emphasis on the actor. Begin puts the emphasis on what is acting. I start a process, and the process begins.

[blackmanxy.livejournal.com]

I use them largely interchangeably, opting for whichever one sounds better in a given sentence. I find "begin" slightly more formal and poetic and use it more often in writing than in speech.

[blackmanxy.livejournal.com]

Woops, replied to a reply instead of the OP. Sorry!

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

They're used interchangeably, though I tend to use "start" when I plan to "finish" something (like starting a race) and "begin" a process I need to end (like beginning to search for a college).

[sttatus-quo.livejournal.com]

I generally use "start" when speaking of initiating an activity with multiple steps: start the car, start the fire. I use "begin" when it is a single step or am using a formal style of writing : begin reading, begin a journey. Sometimes I interchange them.

As I am American, I imagine that my language use might be odd for where you live, though.

[soon_lee]

For me, 'start' is more imperative than 'begin'; I tend to hear 'start' as 'start!'

I think it's because of the glottal stop.

[bracknellexile.livejournal.com]

I never use either! I always initiate, commence, undertake or embark on :)

[daisy-stitch.livejournal.com]

OK this is a quick response, not one I've spent hours reflecting on but my initial reaction is that "start" is something I apply to myself or others (eg "shall we get started?") and begin is more abstract "this is beginning to annoy me".

Having said that I do also apply "start" to things (eg I would say "the party started about 8" rather than "the party began" and I would also apply "begin" to myself in recollections/storytelling eg "when I was 15 I began to think that..."

Bit hazy I'm afraid.