Collocate vs. Collocation — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 26, 2024
Collocate refers to the act of placing things together, while collocation is the result or instance of such arrangement, especially in language.
Difference Between Collocate and Collocation
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Collocate is a verb that describes the action of placing items or elements side by side or in a particular relation to one another. It is often used in the context of linguistic analysis, where it signifies the arrangement of words that frequently occur together in a language, but it can also apply to the arrangement of other items or concepts within various fields. This action emphasizes the process and the intention behind the arrangement. Collocation, on the other hand, is a noun that refers to the actual pairing or grouping of words, items, or elements that are commonly placed together. In linguistics, collocations are combinations of words that appear together more often than would be expected by chance, such as "make a decision" or "heavy rain." These pairings or groupings are recognized for their tendency to convey specific meanings or functions within a language.
The difference between the two terms is primarily grammatical: collocate is an action, the act of arranging or grouping, whereas collocation is the result of this action, the instance or occurrence of such a grouping. This distinction highlights the dynamic process of arrangement (collocate) versus the static outcome or pattern that emerges from such arrangements (collocation).
While the concept of collocating extends beyond linguistics to include the arrangement of various items in fields such as data analysis, computing, and spatial organization, collocations are predominantly discussed within the realm of language studies. They are analyzed to understand language patterns, usage, and the naturalness of expression, which is critical for language learning and linguistic research.
The study of collocations in linguistics helps in the development of language teaching materials, dictionaries, and language processing tools, emphasizing the practical implications of understanding how words are naturally paired or grouped together. This understanding aids in enhancing fluency and comprehension in language learners, illustrating the direct application of recognizing and utilizing collocations.
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb
Noun
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Definition
To place together or in a particular relationship
The result or instance of placing things together
Usage Context
Linguistics, data analysis, spatial organization
Primarily linguistics
Focus
The action of arranging or grouping
The pattern or outcome of such an arrangement
Significance
Emphasizes the process of arrangement
Emphasizes the result of the arrangement
Examples
"The words 'strong' and 'tea' often collocate."
"Strong tea' is a common collocation in English."
Compare with Definitions
Collocate
To place side by side or in a particular relation.
Architects collocate certain spaces to maximize functionality.
Collocation
A characteristic combination in language that conveys a particular meaning.
Bitter cold is a collocation describing extreme coldness.
Collocate
Organize items or concepts in a structured relationship.
In the database, related entries are collocated to improve access speed.
Collocation
A grouping or pairing of words that frequently occur together.
Make a decision is a common collocation in English.
Collocate
Act of positioning elements to achieve a desired effect.
The poet carefully collocates words to evoke specific emotions.
Collocation
The result of arranging words or items in a specific pattern.
Fast food is a collocation that denotes quick-service meals.
Collocate
Arrange (words, items) to co-occur more frequently than chance.
Risk and management often collocate in business texts.
Collocation
The natural pairing of language elements as used by native speakers.
Blond hair is a collocation often used to describe hair color.
Collocate
To group or pair elements with a specific purpose.
The designer collocated colors and textures for visual harmony.
Collocation
An instance of elements placed together for a specific purpose.
The collocation of servers in a data center optimizes performance.
Collocate
(of a word) be habitually juxtaposed with another with a frequency greater than chance
‘maiden’ collocates with ‘voyage’
Collocation
In corpus linguistics, a collocation is a series of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance. In phraseology, a collocation is a type of compositional phraseme, meaning that it can be understood from the words that make it up.
Collocate
Place side by side or in a particular relation
McAndrew was a collocated facility with Argentia Naval Station
Collocation
The act of collocating or the state of being collocated.
Collocate
A word that is habitually juxtaposed with another with a frequency greater than chance
Collocates for the word ‘mortgage’ include ‘lend’ and ‘property’
Collocation
An arrangement or juxtaposition of words or other elements, especially those that commonly co-occur, as rancid butter, bosom buddy, or dead serious.
Collocate
To place together or in proper order; arrange side by side.
Collocation
(uncountable) The grouping or juxtaposition of things, especially words or sounds.
Collocate
To occur in a collocation. Used of words
“Rancid” often collocates with “butter.”.
Collocation
(countable) Such a specific grouping.
Collocate
A word that occurs in collocation with another
“Rancid” and “butter” are collocates.
Collocation
A sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance (i.e., the statistically significant placement of particular words in a language), often representing an established name for, or idiomatic way of conveying, a particular semantic concept.
Collocate
(said of certain words) To be often used together, form a collocation; for example strong collocates with tea.
Collocation
(mathematics) A method of finding an approximate solution of an ordinary differential equation by determining coefficients in an expansion so as to make vanish at prescribed points; the expansion with the coefficients thus found is the sought approximation.
Collocate
To arrange or occur side by side. en
Collocation
(computing) A service allowing multiple customers to locate network, server, and storage gear and connect them to a variety of telecommunications and network service providers, at a minimum of cost and complexity.
Collocate
To set or place; to station.
Collocation
The act of placing; the state of being placed with something else; disposition in place; arrangement.
The choice and collocation of words.
Collocate
(linguistics) A component word of a collocation; a word that collocates with another.
Collocation
A combination of related words within a sentence that occurs more frequently than would be predicted in a random arrangement of words; a combination of words that occurs with sufficient frequency to be recongizable as a common combination, especially a pair of words that occur adjacent to each other. Also called stable collocation. Combinations of words having intervening words between them, such as verb and object pairs, may also be collocations.
Collocate
(obsolete) Set; placed.
Collocation
A grouping of words in a sentence
Collocate
Set; placed.
Collocation
The act of positioning close together (or side by side);
It is the result of the juxtaposition of contrasting colors
Collocate
To set or place; to set; to station.
To marshal and collocate in order his battalions.
Collocate
Have a strong tendency to occur side by side;
The words 'new' and 'world' collocate
Collocate
Group or chunk together in a certain order or place side by side
Common Curiosities
How does collocate differ from collocation?
Collocate is the action of placing or arranging things together, while collocation is the result or instance of such an arrangement, especially in the context of words.
What is collocation in linguistics?
Collocation in linguistics refers to the combination of words that appear together more often than would be expected by chance, conveying specific meanings.
Can collocate be used outside of linguistics?
Yes, collocate can be used in various contexts to describe the action of arranging or grouping items or concepts, not limited to language.
Do all words have collocations?
While not all words have strong collocations, many do form natural pairings with other words in specific contexts.
What are examples of common collocations?
Common collocations include phrases like "make a decision," "heavy rain," and "strong preference," which are natural pairings in language.
How are collocations identified?
Collocations are identified through linguistic analysis, often using corpora (large text databases) to find words that co-occur more frequently than would be expected by chance.
Why is the study of collocations important?
Studying collocations is crucial for understanding natural language patterns, improving language teaching, and enhancing fluency and comprehension in learners.
Are collocations the same across languages?
No, collocations can vary significantly across languages, reflecting different cultural and linguistic patterns.
How do collocations affect language learning?
Collocations affect language learning by highlighting natural word pairings, helping learners sound more fluent and understand language nuances.
Can the meaning of a collocation change over time?
Yes, the meanings of collocations can evolve with language use, reflecting changes in culture and society.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
