Is It Really Just Me?
By Roger ~ August 1st, 2007. Filed under: Get To Know Roger.
The other day, Monday I believe, I was driving down the road wondering what, exactly, was the functional difference between “ubiquitous” and “pervasive.”
Does anything like this ever happen to you?
August 1st, 2007 at 7:00 am
I believe the difference is in what the words convey, not so much their direct meaning. Their different aspects, if you will.
Ubiquitous hints at commonness. At something being extremely non-unique.
Pervasiveness hints at something that spreads. It has a tinge of malevolence. Also, when something is pervasive, it hasn’t necessarily *already* spread to all parts; it has the capability and tendency to do so.
August 1st, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Yeah, that’s pretty much what the dictionary said. You’re right, too, in that I, at least, think of ubiquity as being relatively innocuous. I hadn’t thought of pervasiveness as being malevolent, but the dictionary agreed with you there, too.
August 2nd, 2007 at 6:57 pm
I really really like Tacos!
August 3rd, 2007 at 7:08 am
Is there really a person in the world who doesn’t like tacos?
*Dan is rooting for that person being a Mexican*
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
A Mexican who doesn’t like tacos is like a Canadian who doesn’t like hockey.