Is “Motivate your answer” correct English?
Me and a friend were having an argument recently over "Motivate your answer". He said this:
see it like this, motivate = force that drives you, okay? motivate your choices = arguments you considered that have driven you towards that choice
So it appears to be a more literal translation, like:
Give reason to your answer.
Is this the case, or is just simply wrong?
meaning grammaticality
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
add a comment |
Me and a friend were having an argument recently over "Motivate your answer". He said this:
see it like this, motivate = force that drives you, okay? motivate your choices = arguments you considered that have driven you towards that choice
So it appears to be a more literal translation, like:
Give reason to your answer.
Is this the case, or is just simply wrong?
meaning grammaticality
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
"Motivate" is used with a special meaning in mathematics and related fields. Does this apply here?
– GEdgar
Apr 17 '12 at 19:37
1
Sounds wrong to me (a native English speaker), despite the definition you gave. (As does "Me and a friend...")
– JLG
Apr 17 '12 at 20:17
1
Can you use it in a complete sentence where you think one thing and your friend he other? And explain what your friend thinks and what you think? Otherwise there's little to go on here other than simply giving what we think 'motivate your answer.' could mean.
– Mitch
Apr 17 '12 at 21:57
add a comment |
Me and a friend were having an argument recently over "Motivate your answer". He said this:
see it like this, motivate = force that drives you, okay? motivate your choices = arguments you considered that have driven you towards that choice
So it appears to be a more literal translation, like:
Give reason to your answer.
Is this the case, or is just simply wrong?
meaning grammaticality
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
Me and a friend were having an argument recently over "Motivate your answer". He said this:
see it like this, motivate = force that drives you, okay? motivate your choices = arguments you considered that have driven you towards that choice
So it appears to be a more literal translation, like:
Give reason to your answer.
Is this the case, or is just simply wrong?
meaning grammaticality
meaning grammaticality
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
edited Apr 17 '12 at 19:23
Derek
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
asked Apr 17 '12 at 19:15
DerekDerek
11315
11315
"Motivate" is used with a special meaning in mathematics and related fields. Does this apply here?
– GEdgar
Apr 17 '12 at 19:37
1
Sounds wrong to me (a native English speaker), despite the definition you gave. (As does "Me and a friend...")
– JLG
Apr 17 '12 at 20:17
1
Can you use it in a complete sentence where you think one thing and your friend he other? And explain what your friend thinks and what you think? Otherwise there's little to go on here other than simply giving what we think 'motivate your answer.' could mean.
– Mitch
Apr 17 '12 at 21:57
add a comment |
"Motivate" is used with a special meaning in mathematics and related fields. Does this apply here?
– GEdgar
Apr 17 '12 at 19:37
1
Sounds wrong to me (a native English speaker), despite the definition you gave. (As does "Me and a friend...")
– JLG
Apr 17 '12 at 20:17
1
Can you use it in a complete sentence where you think one thing and your friend he other? And explain what your friend thinks and what you think? Otherwise there's little to go on here other than simply giving what we think 'motivate your answer.' could mean.
– Mitch
Apr 17 '12 at 21:57
"Motivate" is used with a special meaning in mathematics and related fields. Does this apply here?
– GEdgar
Apr 17 '12 at 19:37
"Motivate" is used with a special meaning in mathematics and related fields. Does this apply here?
– GEdgar
Apr 17 '12 at 19:37
1
1
Sounds wrong to me (a native English speaker), despite the definition you gave. (As does "Me and a friend...")
– JLG
Apr 17 '12 at 20:17
Sounds wrong to me (a native English speaker), despite the definition you gave. (As does "Me and a friend...")
– JLG
Apr 17 '12 at 20:17
1
1
Can you use it in a complete sentence where you think one thing and your friend he other? And explain what your friend thinks and what you think? Otherwise there's little to go on here other than simply giving what we think 'motivate your answer.' could mean.
– Mitch
Apr 17 '12 at 21:57
Can you use it in a complete sentence where you think one thing and your friend he other? And explain what your friend thinks and what you think? Otherwise there's little to go on here other than simply giving what we think 'motivate your answer.' could mean.
– Mitch
Apr 17 '12 at 21:57
add a comment |
1 Answer
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oldest
votes
I would probably go for "justify" your answer with the meaning of "give reasons for your answer". However, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary states that "motivate" has precisely this meaning in formal South African English, so perhaps it is the same elsewhere too.
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I would probably go for "justify" your answer with the meaning of "give reasons for your answer". However, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary states that "motivate" has precisely this meaning in formal South African English, so perhaps it is the same elsewhere too.
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
add a comment |
I would probably go for "justify" your answer with the meaning of "give reasons for your answer". However, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary states that "motivate" has precisely this meaning in formal South African English, so perhaps it is the same elsewhere too.
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
add a comment |
I would probably go for "justify" your answer with the meaning of "give reasons for your answer". However, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary states that "motivate" has precisely this meaning in formal South African English, so perhaps it is the same elsewhere too.
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
I would probably go for "justify" your answer with the meaning of "give reasons for your answer". However, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary states that "motivate" has precisely this meaning in formal South African English, so perhaps it is the same elsewhere too.
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
answered Apr 17 '12 at 19:41
PaolaPaola
2,85821325
2,85821325
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
add a comment |
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
You may also "substantiate" your decision.
– Graffito
Dec 4 '16 at 0:15
add a comment |
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"Motivate" is used with a special meaning in mathematics and related fields. Does this apply here?
– GEdgar
Apr 17 '12 at 19:37
1
Sounds wrong to me (a native English speaker), despite the definition you gave. (As does "Me and a friend...")
– JLG
Apr 17 '12 at 20:17
1
Can you use it in a complete sentence where you think one thing and your friend he other? And explain what your friend thinks and what you think? Otherwise there's little to go on here other than simply giving what we think 'motivate your answer.' could mean.
– Mitch
Apr 17 '12 at 21:57