Laura Corin Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I had a US prospective student on the phone asking about funding (I work in a UK university). He kept using the word 'strange' to describe how things are organised in the UK. I kept replying with 'different' but he reverted to 'strange'. I was wondering if he was just a bit clueless or whether it didn't have a negative connotation to him. The conversation went something like this: Him: Do you have to pay fees for PhD courses? Me: There is a small number of scholarships. Some are tax-funded and are therefore only available to UK/EU students, but there are a few others available to all. Him: That's so strange, in the US..... Me: Yes, it is different. UK universities are traditionally tax-payer funded and don't have large alumni funds, so.... Him: That's so strange because in the US.... Me: Yes, it is different. There are sometimes specific projects that are funded by foundations or research groups, but I'm afraid that none are available at the moment. Him: In the US..... That's really strange..... He is from the southern US, if that makes a difference. I had already spent some time helping him to tailor his somewhat unusual background so that it fit with our criteria and he would be offered a place, so we had a bit of a relationship. L Edited January 28, 2017 by Laura Corin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I don't think it's the best choice of words. To me it's the sort of thing you say when you think your way is better than the other way. I would say something like that's good to know. Or thanks for the information. But then I could be reading too much into it. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 But then I could be reading too much into it. That's what I was wondering. I'd worked hard for him, I was tired, and perhaps I was feeling a bit prickly. I was completely professional during the call, but it made me wonder. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 It can mean just "that seems strange to me/that's not what I am used to"; while I agree with you that different would be a better word choice, I don't think that "strange" always has a negative connotation, or at least not a very strong one. It can just mean unfamiliar or different. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 "different" would feel nicer to me, but that's just my opinion on it... What can ya do....he sounds strange. :lol: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I use that word to mean "unknown/unfamiliar to me", so no, I don't think it had a negative connotation. Edited January 28, 2017 by Kinsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 In the conversation you related, it sounds negative to me. Now that I am thinking about it, I guess it sounds negative in most cases. For example, I dislike hearing an unfamiliar food described as strange. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 it sounds like he is using it instead of the more appropriate to the situation "different". so not uncommon to use an inappropriate for the situation synonym. one of the most common I hear is "lie", when the appropriate word choice would be "mistake". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I would say that in that situation it did not have a negative connotation. He is using it as a synonym for different. When used as an adjective for a person or something made by a person I would say it is definitely negative. "He's rather strange", "That picture you painted is a little strange"--those definitely aren't nice! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 If you look up the definition, it says "unusual or surprising in a way that is unsettling or hard to understand." That's how I feel about it, so yes, I think that's a negative connotation. The word different, OTOH for me at least, simply means the two aren't equal. Aqua green and Emerald green are different. Differences can be good as in my DH and me. He's different from me but I don't find that unsettling or hard to understand. I hope that makes sense. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I think that does vary by region. To me, it has a negative connotation (in the Mid-Atlantic). I would most likely say, "Oh. That's not what I'm used to..." Or just say it's different. I can picture a southerner saying it innocuously, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) To me, in that context it *is* negative. If strange is used to compare to others then I believe strange is being used as a negative thing. If I say "my leg feels strange" or "the sky looks strange" I just mean in comparison to how it usually feels/looks. (So not negative) . Edited January 28, 2017 by happi duck 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I voted other. I'm a bit clueless though to the affects of my words. I sometimes wonder if I could get an Aspergers diagnosis. That said, I would say that it's negative if used to describe a person or something that a person has done but more neutral things like cultural differences or food I probably would consider neutral. To mean it hovers between weird and unusual. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Yes, it's more along the lines of different and unsettling in a negative way. And I can understand why you would be ticked off with the negativity and repetitiveness of the conversation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I would have said yes but I do not think it had a negative connotation in the context of that conversation. If it was used at a person it would definitely be negative. I do not know different is the best adjective either to describe being unfamiliar with another way of doing things, Edited January 28, 2017 by MistyMountain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I'm from the south, and I think negative. It wouldn't surprise me if someone, on their first foray into a foreign culture, didn't hear how offensive it was, though. In context I would assume he's a young man rather dismayed that, soon after figuring out the US system, he's going to have to navigate a new one. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I would say the connotation can range from neutral to negative depending on context. And in the context you provided, it sounds negative to me, because of the repetition, and because he was explaining to you how it works in the US. I mean, why did he think you need to know that? Was he saying it in an obnoxious "our way is the right way" tone, or was it more like he was nervous and excited about the prospect of going to school overseas, and didn't realize how he was coming across? It's possible that I'm the one being negative here. I've heard some stories of very know-it-all, overly opinionated Americans telling people in other countries how "wrong" things are there when they travel, and I find it quite embarrassing! But hopefully that was not the case here. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 That's what I was wondering. I'd worked hard for him, I was tired, and perhaps I was feeling a bit prickly. I was completely professional during the call, but it made me wonder. You'd be doing him a favor if you gently advices him to choose a different word to avoid unintentional insult. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Yes. It means different with a tinge of disapproval. He's being a little uncouth. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I might translate it as mysterious, so not negative, but almost. Haha. It can have a wide range of interpretation depending a lot on tone of voice. He sounds more clueless than intentionally insulting, but your interpretation is ultimately the one that matters because you are the one on the receiving end. I think a similar thing in reverse is the use of the word "scheme" which clearly has a more sinister connotation for me than for the h.r.department that was putting together a new retirement "scheme". Edited January 28, 2017 by SusanC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahW Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I think strange here is being used as a shorthand for "That's so strange to me." Maybe he was just trying to clarify that he found it confusing, and thought making a point by point contrast with a system he was familiar with would make it clear to him. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) I am used to hearing it as meaning unusual or unexpected by the person saying the word. Sometimes used sort of negatively and sometimes just as an observation of something different than they expected. I don't think he intended to insult anyone. I think he just isn't used to any other way of doing things and it caught him off guard. Edited January 29, 2017 by OneStepAtATime 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 In the context it was used, I don't see it as negative. More along the lines of using strange to mean 'unusual', 'different'. The word strange can have a negative connotation, but I don't think it does in this case. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 He sounds rather dull to me. Strange can have neutral, negative or semi positive connotations depending on the the tone and context. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) I think it can be negative, but it isn't always. Usually, when I use it, I simply mean unusual, or out of the norm. ("What strange weather we're having today!") However, if you were to say "That man is really strange!" it probably is meant more negatively. Edited January 29, 2017 by J-rap 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I think that does vary by region. To me, it has a negative connotation (in the Mid-Atlantic). I would most likely say, "Oh. That's not what I'm used to..." Or just say it's different. I can picture a southerner saying it innocuously, though. Southerner here. I wouldn't use it, because I'm sensitive to my cultural differences in professional situations, but I wouldn't think twice about it myself. I might not even notice someone else using it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 It can mean just "that seems strange to me/that's not what I am used to"; while I agree with you that different would be a better word choice, I don't think that "strange" always has a negative connotation, or at least not a very strong one. It can just mean unfamiliar or different. :iagree: although it verges into meaning "unsettling" at times. A more commonly used casual term might be "weird," but I would never use that in a professional conversation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaeFlowers Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I voted other. If I said, "That's strange...", it is usually because I am processing the information or thinking about the differences while talking to someone. Basically, I haven't fully grasped things yet. Maybe that is what he was doing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I voted no. It doesn't automatically have a negative connotation and I don't think it did for him. However, I would have used the word different in that situation. Strange, while not negative, doesn't fit that conversation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) I think it can be negative, but it isn't always. Usually, when I use it, I simply mean unusual, or out of the norm. ("What strange weather we're having today!") However, if you were to say "That man is really strange!" it probably is meant more negatively. That's how I usually use it, but I wouldn't use it for another culture or country's way of doing things. Unless I actually know what their norm is I wouldn't know what's strange (out of the norm). Edited January 29, 2017 by Lady Florida. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosch Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 As a Southerner, it would not be offensive if I said it. It would just mean that it was very different from what I was expecting/accustomed to and trying to get bearings. If I meant it in a negative sense, I would use "odd" or "peculiar." (I save weird for things that are bit on the distasteful side.) Having just returned from overseas, I found a great deal of it strange, a heap of peculiar, and a whole lot of downright oddness. ;) Even buying paint for walls was an experience beyond what I was prepared for. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I have been in the south for a while and just now noticed that I no longer use the word strange. I would use odd or different, depending on which message I wanted to convey. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I had a US prospective student on the phone asking about funding (I work in a UK university). He kept using the word 'strange' to describe how things are organised in the UK. I kept replying with 'different' but he reverted to 'strange'. I was wondering if he was just a bit clueless or whether it didn't have a negative connotation to him. The conversation went something like this: Him: Do you have to pay fees for PhD courses? Me: There is a small number of scholarships. Some are tax-funded and are therefore only available to UK/EU students, but there are a few others available to all. Him: That's so strange, in the US..... Me: Yes, it is different. UK universities are traditionally tax-payer funded and don't have large alumni funds, so.... Him: That's so strange because in the US.... Me: Yes, it is different. There are sometimes specific projects that are funded by foundations or research groups, but I'm afraid that none are available at the moment. Him: In the US..... That's really strange..... He is from the southern US, if that makes a difference. I had already spent some time helping him to tailor his somewhat unusual background so that it fit with our criteria and he would be offered a place, so we had a bit of a relationship. L I think "strange" does usually have a negative connotation but not a huge one. If I had said those phrases I would have been trying to politely express my disappointment with your reasoning while also trying to get you to figure out a way to fix my problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Yes. It means different with a tinge of disapproval. He's being a little uncouth. I admit if I had this conversation, it would have irritated me and would have initiated eye roll procedures. I read it as interested student calls me for information, I don't think it's super polite to call your procedures strange and then share what the US does making the conversation even longer and more grating. If someone refers to something as strange repeatedly like that I would read it as a negative in their opinion. I'm from the upper mid-west. Maybe he'll rethink school overseas. To me he doesn't sound particularly open to new experiences. LOL. I try to have some grace for young adults but I may have gently said something. A polite call like that would be asking direct questions, taking note of the answers, thank you for your time, goodbye. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slackermom Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Now I keep hearing the Doors singing "people are strange when you're a stranger" 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 I admit if I had this conversation, it would have irritated me and would have initiated eye roll procedures. I read it as interested student calls me for information, I don't think it's super polite to call your procedures strange and then share what the US does making the conversation even longer and more grating. I've had worse. I've had someone call and say, 'My professor says that overseas students are just cash cows to you.' Okay, thanks. The reason that fees for overseas students are higher is that those for citizens are subsidised by the taxes that they or their parents pay. Just like in-state fees vs. out-of-state fees. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've had worse. I've had someone call and say, 'My professor says that overseas students are just cash cows to you.' Okay, thanks. The reason that fees for overseas students are higher is that those for citizens are subsidised by the taxes that they or their parents pay. Just like in-state fees vs. out-of-state fees. ROFL. Aren't young people adorable?! :lol: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've had worse. I've had someone call and say, 'My professor says that overseas students are just cash cows to you.' Okay, thanks. The reason that fees for overseas students are higher is that those for citizens are subsidised by the taxes that they or their parents pay. Just like in-state fees vs. out-of-state fees. I would have said, "Mooooo!" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Now I keep hearing the Doors singing "people are strange when you're a stranger" Well, now that I read your post... :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I don't think it's always negative, but in this example I would not reveal my feelings even if I were to think it strange because that's impolite at best. I find the person saying strange in your example annoying, tiring and perhaps obnoxious. If it were me they would a person on my list of people to avoid. I'm Southern. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I have been in the south for a while and just now noticed that I no longer use the word strange. I would use odd or different, depending on which message I wanted to convey. Having lived in Texas (not the South) for 8 years (married to a Texan), I think I also stopped using strange and would use odd instead. Which wouldn't necessarily mean something negative. That said, I think the guy was just confused and trying to figure things out by doing the compare-and-contrast thing a PP mentioned. So, a little clueless that his choice of words wasn't the best, but I don't think he was intentionally rude. I've probably done something similar in the past. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) Native Southerner. I would use "strange" to describe something that is unfamiliar. It's not necessarily negative. "Gosh, that's so strange to me" can simply mean it's not what you're used to. You're marveling over the unusualness. I've heard people use it in a positive manner to mean unique and creative. "What is this strange and marvelous thing?" Similarly, using "strangely" can be positive and just means you're surprised by it. "I had chicken and waffles for brunch. It was a strangely delicious combination!" Calling something "different" can be negative. "Well that's...different..." for example. ;) I wouldn't assume he was trying to be negative. Perhaps a bit stressed over the whole process and realizing that every little thing will be strange or different rather than familiar. ETA: if it's used to describe a person, it usually has a negative connotation, meaning weird or slightly...off-putting. Edited January 29, 2017 by zoobie 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I would not use "strange" in that way as I'd expect it to be taken negatively. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 That's how I usually use it, but I wouldn't use it for another culture or country's way of doing things. Unless I actually know what their norm is I wouldn't know what's strange (out of the norm). That's a good point. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 Calling something "different" can be negative. "Well that's...different..." for example. ;) That's a good point. My MIL (Texas) would use 'different' as a polite way of expressing disapproval. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 In that context, yes because of the immediate follow up with how things are done in the US but I think it's probably mild and not conscious.If someone is inquiring about how things work in another country responding to every difference with "That's strange, in the US..." is mildly obnoxious. If doing it differently is comment and comparison worthy, then you're probably a bad candidate for it. If you're bothered or surprised by things done differently than how it's done in the US, then stay in the US and do it the US way. If you're going abroad or dealing with someone from another country, then ask your questions, thank the person for their helpful answers, and keep your commentary to yourself. Americans already have a reputation for being bad visitors abroad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I don't think it's the best choice of words. To me it's the sort of thing you say when you think your way is better than the other way. I would say something like that's good to know. Or thanks for the information. But then I could be reading too much into it. I might say different if I felt my way was better than the other way too. I do not think there is necessarily a negative connotation to strange. Its just different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 In fairness to this kid, I know ex-pats who find also found the funding contrast "strange" . Usually there is a degree of incredulity towards both systems. I have a couple of friends who went to Oxbridge schools and the did humanities grad school in the US. They definitely describe it as an odd situation that in England you could go to undergrad basically for free(in those days) but grad school funding was very hard to get whereas in the US undergrad cost an arm and a leg but academic PhDs were generally funded even at state schools. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I've had worse. I've had someone call and say, 'My professor says that overseas students are just cash cows to you.' Okay, thanks. The reason that fees for overseas students are higher is that those for citizens are subsidised by the taxes that they or their parents pay. Just like in-state fees vs. out-of-state fees. Well, he still might not be wrong, at least in the general sense. Student fees here in Canada are higher for international students for similar reasons, but universities also particularly like those students for reasons that are entirely about money. They are considered a very financially desirable population to appeal to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I think it really depends on context. The basic meaning to me is that it is different in a surprising way. In the situation described, I think I would take it as neutral, but also probably have the impression that the fellow wasn't the most sophisticated or great with language. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.