Do they? I thought “I’m sorry” was specifically about sharing how you are feeling vs “I apologise” which is an acknowledgment of your action(s). They often correlate but not always a given.
Just my 20c…
Edit: I can’t spell actions apparently.
Bonus DVD directors cut edit:
So reading all the cool comments below has taught me that the most ambiguous situation that can arise linguistically, is inadvertently bumping into someone whilst trying to ask directions during a Canadian funeral.
They often correlate but not always a given.
Like at a funeral for example?
Damn inflation really caught up with giving your 2 cents!
If you’re apologizing for something you did, you likely would say either.
If you’re at a funeral you might say to the survivors of the decedent, “I’m sorry” as in, “I am sorry for your loss”. Whereas saying “I apologize” to them can only mean you believe you’re at fault for the decedent’s passing.
In Canada saying I’m sorry/apologize can’t be taken as an admittance of fault. So may legally vary in place to place, but there isn’t actually a difference.
In Canada … ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t mean much any more …
Bump somebody in public? … I’m sorry
Meet someone you know? … I’m sorry
Meet someone you don’t know? … I’m sorry
Look at somebody? … I’m sorry
Stand in line with other people? … I’m sorry
Someone acknowledge you? … I’m sorry
Someone asks you to hold this severed body part? … I’m sorry (and hold it anyway)
Someone asks you for directions? … I’m sorry
Someone tells you 1+1=2? … I’m sorry
Someone asks you if you want salmon or steak? … I’m sorry
Someone asks you which hockey team you like? … I’m sorry
Someone asks you about the weather? … I’m sorryI’m sorry you had to make this comment.
Sorry
I apologize for your loss
I’m sorry = I am sorrowful (sympathy or empathy)
I apologize = I am to explain my action (defense)
Consider:
- “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
- “I owe you an apology.”
- “What a sorry excuse for a ___ .”
Meaning, “I apologize” at a funeral is the same as “In my defense…”
During a period where life was fucking me over frequently, I had a friend who would, in commiserating with my situation, say sorry to me, at least partly because he felt bad that he wasn’t able to help.
My autistic ass would get confused about whether he had committed a slight against me that I was unaware of, and I’d ask for clarification (because sometimes he was actually apologising for something I hadn’t registered). This developed into a shorthand where if I was confused, I’d ask “funeral sorry?”.
It’s important to know the difference between
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned
and
I’m sorry, Daddy; I’ve been very naughty
Can we just post Dimitri Martin jokes and pass them off as our own?
There’s the sympathetic and apologetic sorry.
That’s because “I’m sorry” is essentially short for “I feel sorrow”. What it means specifically can differ depending on the context. We have lots of examples of phrases that work like this, for example: if you end a relationship with someone you call it “breaking up” with them. If you pass through a tunnel during a phone call and can’t hear the other person very well or the call drops, they’re “breaking up”. That’s because something “breaking up” can refer to it falling apart or being severed. When you apologize, you feel sorrow over your own actions and/or the hurt they have caused. When you console someone grieving, you feel sorrow for their loss. This, like puns, is not in any way exclusive to the English language.
I wonder how many Demetri Martin jokes are stolen every day on Xitter
Where’s that guy been anyway
The meaning of words are context dependant? Wow, that’s crazy. /s
When I was learning English I feel very stupid questioning why English people says “I’m very sorry”. That I lack a critical knowledge that it’s normal and it means that someone also feel sorrow.
It’s very liberating knowing that even native speaker are also confused and questioning that same phrase.
One’s a statement about your feelings. The other is a statement about your hobbies. They are not the same.
