appropriate as verb

[alpacinou]

Hello

Imagine you want to write an essay about a problem in an international exam.

Is it correct to use "appropriate" as verb like this?

More money should be appropriated by the government to resolve the problem of air pollution.

More money should be appropriated by the government to resolve the problem of animal extinction.

More money should be appropriated by the government to expand roads and highways.

More money should be appropriated for research into the disease.

More money should be appropriated for educating children about history.

 

[jutfrank]

What do you mean exactly by appropriated?

 

[alpacinou]

What do you mean exactly by appropriated?

I mean allocate.

 

[jutfrank]

Then no, appropriated is not right. Use allocated, if that's what you mean.

 

[Skrej]

I can't see anything wrong with using 'appropriate' in those examples as a synonym for 'allocate'.

 

[alpacinou]

Then no, appropriated is not right. Use allocated, if that's what you mean.

What is the difference between them?

 

[alpacinou]

I can't see anything wrong with using 'appropriate' in those examples as a synonym for 'allocate'.

Do you think all of them are correct?

 

[jutfrank]

What is the difference between them?

The meaning.

To me at least, appropriate has a core sense of taking something from where it normally belongs whereas allocate has a core sense of giving a share of something.

If the idea is that the government has a reserve of money specifically to be spent in certain areas, use allocate.

 

[GoesStation]

Appropriate is exactly the right verb in American English. That's what our legislatures do when they direct the executive to spend money. It's even in the name of the Senate committee responsible for distributing government spending.

Learners who don't already know how the verb and adjective versions of appropriate differ in meaning and pronunciation should look them up.

 

[alpacinou]

The meaning.

To me at least, appropriate has a core sense of taking something from where it normally belongs whereas allocate has a core sense of giving a share of something.

If the idea is that the government has a reserve of money specifically to be spent in certain areas, use allocate.

I found these examples in different dictionaries:

The town has appropriated funds to repair the bridge and work should begin this summer.
Five million dollars has been appropriated for research into the disease.
Senator Lugar is skeptical that Congress will appropriate more funding for this purpose.

 

[alpacinou]

Appropriate is exactly the right verb in American English. That's what our legislatures do when they direct the executive to spend money. It's even in the name of the Senate committee responsible for distributing government spending.

Learners who don't already know how the verb and adjective versions of appropriate differ in meaning and pronunciation should look them up.

How is the pronunciation different?

 

[GoesStation]

How is the pronunciation different?

Adjective: /əˈproʊpriət/
Verb: /əˈproʊpriˌeɪt/

Also note that their meanings are practically unrelated to each other.

 

[jutfrank]

Appropriate is exactly the right verb in American English. That's what our legislatures do when they direct the executive to spend money. It's even in the name of the Senate committee responsible for distributing government spending.

Okay, but my point is this: If money is appropriated to be spent somewhere, it means that it is taken from somewhere. Money must by definition be appropriated from somewhere.

I don't mean to say that it can't work in alpacinoutd's sentence. I just didn't think that that's what he means. I was really just trying to point out that appropriate and allocate are not fully synonymous. There's a difference in use between them.

I found these examples in different dictionaries:

The town has appropriated funds to repair the bridge and work should begin this summer.
Five million dollars has been appropriated for research into the disease.
Senator Lugar is skeptical that Congress will appropriate more funding for this purpose.

Yes, well done, but those examples don't help in any way to make the distinction between appropriate and allocate that I'm trying to get at.

Perhaps if you looked at other examples, which are not about money, it might help you get at the core sense of the word.

 

[SoothingDave]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appropriate

1 : to take exclusive possession of : annex

2 : to set apart for or assign to a particular purpose or use


3 : to take or make use of without authority or right

Definiton 2 here. This is how an American reads it. We would likely use "misappropriate" to refer to the using of funds in a way not intended.