Перемены
Сейчас занимаюсь по кембриджскому учебнику Objective Proficiency, и там встретилось задание на разницу между глаголами, которые обозначают изменения (помимо change). Посмотрим на их определения в English Vocabulary Profile и Cambridge Dictionary и попробуем увидеть отличия.
adapt
1) to change your behaviour so that it is suitable for a new situation
It takes time to adapt to a new working environment.
(адаптироваться)
2) to change something so that it is suitable for a different use or situation
Many software companies have adapted popular programs to the new operating system.
Davies is busy adapting Brinkworth’s latest novel for television.
(адаптировать)
alter
to change, or to make someone or something change
We’ve had to alter some of our plans.
Giving up our car has altered our lifestyle a lot.
amend
to slightly change the words of a document
The contract has now been amended.
(вносить поправки)
convert
1) to change the appearance, form, or purpose of something
Could we convert the small bedroom into a second bathroom?
What’s the formula for converting pounds into kilos?
2) to change to a new religion, belief, etc., or to make someone do this
When did he convert to Islam?
(обращать)
develop
to (cause something to) grow or change and become more advanced
The baby develops inside the mother for nine months.
Over time, their acquaintance developed into a lasting friendship.
This exercise is designed to develop the shoulder and back muscles.
I’m looking for a job which will enable me to develop my skills/talents.
(развивать, развиваться)
evolve
to develop or make something develop, usually gradually
rapidly evolving technology
fluctuate
to keep changing, especially in level or amount
Oil prices have fluctuated wildly in recent weeks.
metamorphose
to change into a completely different form or type
The awkward boy I knew had metamorphosed into a tall, confident man.
modify
to change something in order to improve it
The plans will have to be modified to reduce costs.
mutate
to change from one thing or type of thing into another
Jon has mutated from an awkward teenager into a sophisticated young man.
revise
to change something so that it is more accurate or better than before
His publishers made him revise his manuscript three times.
transform
to change something completely, usually to improve it
Within weeks they had transformed the area into a beautiful garden.
The reorganization will transform the British entertainment industry.
(превращать)
Какие из этих глаголов встречали чаще всего?
Honey, it’s all context-dependent. Each verb on your list has not only a meaning of it own, if only a shade of <s>grey</s>, but also collocation valency, general and situative frequency, style/pitch/register, and situative valency.
I, for one, read and use — in the order of frequency — ’amend’, ’modify’, ’develop’, ’alter’ ’convert’ and ’revise’. For I am a legal translation practitioner (apart from teaching translation classes). :-)
By the way, do you know this tool: https://wikidiff.com/alter/modify ? :-) Actually, it’s just https://wikidiff.com, but I gave you an example how to operate it.
PS: You have made a good start, girl, you have. :-)
No, I’ve never heard of this tool before. Thanks for mentioning it!
Of course every word has its own collocation valency, register, etc. and it was inconsiderate of me to mention only the meaning. But you know, as they say, you live and learn. Thank you for leaving this comment :)