[General] group dismembered

[Silverobama]

Hi teachers,

When I was a middle school student, I listened to Westlife. A few years later, the group broke up. I wonder which one is natural to say.

My friend who stayed in the US for 5 years said:

The group broke up.

I said:

The group dismembered.

If neither of us is correct, please tell me the natural way to say this.

 

[probus]

Your friend is right. A quick look at a dictionary should have sufficed to show you that dismembered is not used in that way.

Jamal Khashoggi was dismembered. Modern Turkey decided to dismember the Ottoman Empire. Groups disband; they are not said to dismember or be dismembered.

 

[bubbha]

The word you're looking for is "disband": "The group disbanded".

"dismember" is absolutely the wrong word.

 

[tedmc]

Dismember does not mean to split up members of a group. It means cutting arms and legs from a body.
There is disband, break up, separate, disperse, dissolve.

 

[Silverobama]

Your friend is right. A quick look at a dictionary should have sufficed to show you that dismembered is not used in that way.

Jamal Khashoggi was dismembered. Modern Turkey decided to dismember the Ottoman Empire. Groups disband; they are not said to dismember or be dismembered.

Thank you so much. I didn't "have a quick look" at the dictionary because I thought "break up" is exclusively for couples.

 

[Silverobama]

Dismember does not mean to split up members of a group. It means cutting arms and legs from a body.
There is disband, break up, separate, disperse, dissolve.

And I thought "dismember" was okay because I thought "member" is just a person of a group like that. I am sorry.

Next time, I'll look up the word in question first.

 

[Tdol]

Mind you, in the case of Westlife.... :shock:

 

[Tarheel]

Another quiz. Silver, which of the following words apply to the action of a group that decides it doesn't want to be a group anymore?

disband, separate, break up, disperse, dissolve

:?:

 

[Silverobama]

Another quiz. Silver, which of the following words apply to the action of a group that decides it doesn't want to be a group anymore?

disband, separate, break up, disperse, dissolve

:?:

I think the answer is "band", because "band" also means "group".

 

[emsr2d2]

I think the answer is "band", because "band" also means "group".

"Band" wasn't one of the options.

 

[Tarheel]

I think the answer is "band", because "band" also means "group".

Band is the name of the group, yes. Also, two of the words have already been mentioned. (Hint: only one other word fits.)

 

[Silverobama]

Is it "dissolve"?

Sorry, I've tried my best.

 

[Tarheel]

Is it "dissolve"?

Sorry, I've done my best.

Yes!

(I hate that expression. Either you do your best or you do not. (Stick with me and I'll teach you to adopt all of my pet peeves. ;-) )

Don't apologize! You're doing fine.
:up: