Learn English – the difference between functional relationship and functioning relationship
adjectivesnounsuncountable-nouns
What is the difference between
functional relationship
functioning relationship
Best Answer
Merriam-Webster list these three "simple definitions" of functional...
1: designed to have a practical use
2: (medical) affecting the way a part of your body works
3: working properly
...where sense #3 is synonymous with functioning, but as implied by @Damkerng T.'s comment above obviously it's possible something that's expected to be of practical use (be functional) might not actually be working properly. So it's possible to have a non-functioning functional relationship.
I would just add that I think M-W's first definition above is slightly more restrictive than it should be. A relationship might simply arise (or be identified) that was primarily noted for its functional effects even if it wasn't actually "designed" (by engineers, God, evolution, etc.). And at any given point in time that relationship might (temporarily) not be performing as expected (not necessarily as designed).
Going further in that direction, I could also imagine using functional relationship to describe a relationship that was based on functionality. For example, relationships with others in the workplace might arose solely because of the functions you and they perform at work (and in some cases those relationships might not even have any practical use, for either the workers or the employer).
That's to say, functional can have a range of meanings (broadly, having to do with functionality), whereas functioning only ever means working [properly].
The use of elder is restricted to compare human beings, mostly in family relationships. The one who is elder is the one who was born first.
This is my elder sister Betty.
You cannot substitute elder for older at all times.
Elder can only be used for people, when used for things, it is meant as a special figure of speech involving personification, so to be used with extreme care.
You cannot use elder with "than" (even if it is implied, as in sentence b) ):
a) This is my sister Betty, she's older than me. (and not elder)
b) This is my sister Betty, she's older. (and not elder)
But:
This is my sister Betty she's the elder of us two.
We do not use elder after get or grow:
You'll understand when you get/grow older.
The restrictions in the use of the superlative eldest are the same. It is not used for things.
The eldest/oldest of my six children has already left school.
My eldest/oldest son is in the fifth grade.
But:
He's the oldest in the school.
Elder and eldest are considered formal and some people do not use them at all.
Annualized is a financial term meaning that a figure has been changed from one number to another number (using math) in order to show the yearly rate instead of some other rate (daily, monthly, quarterly).
Annual means "yearly" or every year. You can have an annual festival or an annual meeting.
Annualized is a finance word. Annual is more often used in normal vocabulary. You're more likely to use "annual" than "annualized," unless you're in finance.
Best Answer
Merriam-Webster list these three "simple definitions" of functional...
...where sense #3 is synonymous with functioning, but as implied by @Damkerng T.'s comment above obviously it's possible something that's expected to be of practical use (be functional) might not actually be working properly. So it's possible to have a non-functioning functional relationship.
I would just add that I think M-W's first definition above is slightly more restrictive than it should be. A relationship might simply arise (or be identified) that was primarily noted for its functional effects even if it wasn't actually "designed" (by engineers, God, evolution, etc.). And at any given point in time that relationship might (temporarily) not be performing as expected (not necessarily as designed).
Going further in that direction, I could also imagine using functional relationship to describe a relationship that was based on functionality. For example, relationships with others in the workplace might arose solely because of the functions you and they perform at work (and in some cases those relationships might not even have any practical use, for either the workers or the employer).
That's to say, functional can have a range of meanings (broadly, having to do with functionality), whereas functioning only ever means working [properly].