Tanya
What is the difference between "supposed to be " and "meant to be"? I've read that "supposed to be " is an AmE and "meant to be" is a BrE , but is there really difference? Thank you in advance!
Feb 20, 2019 3:36 PM
Answers · 7
1
I disagree with Robert that "You are meant to be studying English now" 'doesn't make any sense'. For me, this makes perfect sense : it means that you SHOULD be studying now, according to some kind of pre-arranged agreement or schedule. In this situation, you can say either 'I'm supposed to be studying now' or 'I'm meant to be studying now' and the meaning would be the same. By the way, the simple explanation "X is British English; Y is American English" is almost always wrong. In many cases, the supposed difference is merely a preference. In other cases, it's a simplification of a slightly more complex situation - it often means that only X is used by AmE speakers while both X and Y are used by English speakers outside N. America. This is the case here: the fact that this use of 'meant to be' is not recognised by some AmE speakers does not necessarily mean that this usage should be labelled 'British', and it certainly does not mean that there's anything exclusively 'American' about 'supposed to be'.
February 20, 2019
1
“You are meant to be studying English” can also used in the US, if that was on your schedule, for example. “You are meant to be exhausted after finishing boot camp.” I would say that if I think the training is designed to push recruits to their limits and make them tired. “You are supposed to be homesick when you first move to a foreign country.” I say that if I believe that most people feel homesick in that situation. But it wasn’t planned that way. You can often substitute one expression for the other, but I wouldn’t say they mean exactly the same thing.
February 20, 2019
1
Yes there is a difference Example you are supposed to be studying English now ------- this was the planned schedule You are meant to be studying English now -------this does not make any sense Becoming a doctor was meant to be ----because my mother, father,and older sister are all doctors Becoming a doctor was supposed to be -------this does not make sense I was supposed to become a doctor-------------this is very similar to meant to be, but it did not happen, I did not become a doctor
February 20, 2019
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