Does 'strange' have a negative connotation?

[Laura Corin]

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

[SparklyUnicorn]

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.

 

 

[Laura Corin]

 

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.

[maize]

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.

[SparklyUnicorn]

"different" would feel nicer to me, but that's just my opinion on it...

What can ya do....he sounds strange.  :lol:

[Guest]

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

[marbel]

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.

[gardenmom5]

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".

[Ali in OR]

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!

 

[Night Elf]

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.

[Guest]

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.

[happi duck]

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

[rose]

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.

[wintermom]

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. 

[MistyMountain]

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

[Xahm]

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.

[Greta]

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.

[KungFuPanda]

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.

[poppy]

Yes. It means different with a tinge of disapproval. He's being a little uncouth.

[Miss Tick]

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

[SarahW]

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.

[OneStepAtATime]

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

[HSmomof2]

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.

[LucyStoner]

He sounds rather dull to me.

 

Strange can have neutral, negative or semi positive connotations depending on the the tone and context.

[J-rap]

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

[Joules]

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.

[elegantlion]

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. 

[MaeFlowers]

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.

[Lady Florida.]

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.

[Lady Florida.]

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.

[Frosch]

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.  

[Janeway]

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.

[foxbridgeacademy]

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.

[catz]

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. 

[slackermom]

Now I keep hearing the Doors singing

"people are strange

when you're a stranger"

[Laura Corin]

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.

[catz]

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:  

 

[Guest]

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!"

[Lady Florida.]

Now I keep hearing the Doors singing

"people are strange

when you're a stranger"

 

Well, now that I read your post... :D

[Mbelle]

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. 

[luuknam]

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.

[zoobie]

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

[SKL]

I would not use "strange" in that way as I'd expect it to be taken negatively.

[J-rap]

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.

[Laura Corin]

 

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.

[HS Mom in NC]

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. 

[vonfirmath]

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.

[raptor_dad]

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.

[Bluegoat]

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.

[Bluegoat]

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.