This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
Misfulfill
private respite
May 3, 2011 14:47
13 yrs ago
9 viewers *
English term

stay unchangeable vs. remain unchangeable

English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings choice of proper verb
I would like to use it in this sentence:

If everything changes, naturally they [budo techniques] also should change in response.

But what must remain unchangeable is the spirit of budo.

I think it would be better to use remain here, but hits in google show that stay would also be good. What do you think?
Responses
4 remain unchangeable

Discussion

Christine Andersen May 4, 2011:
Also agree with Sheila Remain rather than stay, whatever you do, but unchanging sounds best to me.
B D Finch May 3, 2011:
Agree with Sheila "Remain unchanging" is better. The problem with "stay/remain unchangeable" is that if it was unchangeable to start with, then it is illogical to say that it remains unchangeable as that implies that something that was incapable of changing might have changed but hasn't.
Sheila Wilson May 3, 2011:
With others Remain unchanged is OK. However, perhaps "remain unchanging" would be a slight improvement. By putting it into the present, it shows that it is still valid and under review (though not expected to ever change). I don't think "stay" would be the right register here.
Jim Tucker (X) May 3, 2011:
"stay" is colloquial you want "remain"
Tina Vonhof (X) May 3, 2011:
Agre with meirs Remains unchangeable means that it can never change, no matter what happens. Remains is the right word.
meirs May 3, 2011:
maybe just remain unchanged (not unchangeable) drives the message across better ?

Responses

1 day 1 hr
Selected

remain unchangeable

I prefer remain unchangeable - remain because it's more fitting than stay, and unchangeable to give the sense that no one can change it - it has to stay that way due to no one being able to change it / make it so that it can be changed (i.e. make it changeable). I think that sense is lost with unchanging or unchanged.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much Libroediting!"
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search