17 Comments
410
It can, but only as a stem for compounds, especially adjectival:
- „statek pełnomorski” = 'sea-/ocean-going vessel/ship'
- „turystyka morska” = 'maritime tourism'(includes ocean-based tourism too)
- „rejs pełnomorski” = 'sea-/ocean-going cruise'
- „połowy pełnomorskie” = 'Deep-sea fishing'(includes 'ocean deep-sea fishing' too)
- „strefy pełnomorskie” = 'Off-shore zones'(includes 'ocean off-shore zones' too)
(etc.)
Otherwise, „Ocean” is 'ocean' and „morze” is 'sea'.
- 122
I think Americans use "sea" and "ocean" pretty much interchangeably when talking about the water (as here) rather than as a geographical feature. See my answer to Marek.
(Comment ammended)
- 122
In British English perhaps, but this course is in American English, where this distinction is not necessarily made when talking about a body of salt water, as in this sentence.
- 122
In American English (and this course is in American English), when speaking generally about a body of salt water, I think you're probably right, the distinction only being made when talking about geographical entities. I hear Americans mainly referring to the ocean rather than the sea, which is perhaps not surprising as they/you are surrounded by the stuff. From the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
'Many people use the terms "ocean" and "sea" interchangeably when speaking about the ocean, but there is a difference between the two terms when speaking of geography (the study of the Earth's surface).'
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanorsea.html
As I read it Duo's sentence is not speaking of geography or referring to any specific geograpical entity, such as the Baltic Sea, but to some unspecified body of water, where Americans might well say "the ocean".
In fact the NOAA themselves. perhaps unwittingly, say "when referring to the ocean" when in BrE we would say "when referring to the sea".
- 106
yesterday I put sea in and was wrong, said it was ocean, there is not much difference other than an inland sea
I don't think we accept "ocean" anywhere for "morze", we discussed it thoroughly and we really need "ocean" in Polish to accept "ocean" in English.
If you really found a sentence where it was accepted, please comment there.
- 122
I think perhaps you should accept it. We don't really make this distinction when we're looking at a piece of water.
And there's a difference in usage between AmE and BrE here. While a Brit would say "Look at the sea", even if they were looking at the Atlantic, an American would probably say "Look at the ocean", even looking at the Baltic. Neither of us think "Now is it an ocean or sea I'm looking at, we just use our respective generic word. The difference is only really geographical.
Thanks, but I think we're going to be strict here. The fact that I see only 2 reports for 'ocean' says that the majority of people seem to accept this distinction :)
- 1310
I think you're right for being strict here, Jellei. What we all have to understand is that Polish is NOT English. While it may be true what WarsawWill has said, Polish clearly and strictly wants "sea" as "morze" and "ocean" as "ocean".
Accepting "ocean" for "morze" would be like accepting "puppy" as "pies" (and, as we all should know", "pies" is "dog" and "dog" alone!).
This seems correct. As a non-native English speaker it seems absurd to discuss all those minor details when it is about learning Polish, not English!
