"amble" or "stroll" ?

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

How about pussy-footing?

--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug.

Lewis

2021-01-22 17:35:27 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.

The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.

But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.

Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

Plodding would mean slow, but also implies direct.

--
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
"I think so, Brain, but would Danish flies work just as well?"

Athel Cornish-Bowden

2021-01-22 17:45:02 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the Seine
between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also implies slowness.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.
Plodding would mean slow, but also implies direct.

--
Athel -- British, living in France for 34 years

Lewis

2021-01-22 22:51:24 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even stopping from
time to time."

There's something about saunter that makes me think of prancing, or the
sort of lazy affectation of the young man of leisure in a PG Wodehouse
novel or someone named Blaine in a 1980s movie, but that may just be me.

--
Steak and suspicious-organ pie

Jerry Friedman

2021-01-23 02:00:24 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even stopping from
time to time."

I'd say "dawdle" means the speaker thinks that the dawdler is too slow and
probably that the dawdler is distracted or reluctant. Without checking, I
feel that "Don't dawdle" is is about a hundred times as common and "Don't
amble" and "Don't stroll" put together.

There's something about saunter that makes me think of prancing, or the
sort of lazy affectation of the young man of leisure in a PG Wodehouse
novel or someone named Blaine in a 1980s movie, but that may just be me.

I see a distinct connotation of self-approval, even smugness.

This is set at a women's college.

"Lord Saint-George stood, with a careless air of owning the place, at the
corner of the Library Wing, watching a game of tennis being played between
two bare-backed students and two young men whose shirts kept on
escaping from their belts. Growing tired of this, he sauntered past the
windows toward Queen Elizabeth, his eye roving over a group of
Shrewsburians a-sprawl under the beeches, like that of a young Sultan
inspecting a rather unpromising consignment of Circassian slaves."

--Dorothy L. Sayers, /Gaudy Night/

--
Jerry Friedman

Lewis

2021-01-23 10:39:56 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

[...]

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the Seine
between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also implies slowness.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even stopping from
time to time."

Sure, because neither stroll nor amble also mean to stop along the way.

There is also the (mainly British, I think) "a bit of a dawdle" which I
think means a short walk and also... something else that I am not really
clear on, but seems to be a standing for "slower":

"Governor Hogan's 500km/h trip was a bit of a dawdle compared with the
train's actual top speed, which was set at more than 600km/h in April.
At that speed, the trip between Baltimore Washington would be complete
in less than 10 minutes."

But I found this sentence on linguazza.com:

"20th Century Women is a dawdle of a film — it wanders about like a big
shaggy dog, stopping for a look here and a sniff there. (awfj.org)"

Which seems to match my image of dawdle.

I see a distinct connotation of self-approval, even smugness.

Yes, that's it.

Post by Jerry Friedman
This is set at a women's college.
"Lord Saint-George stood, with a careless air of owning the place, at the
corner of the Library Wing, watching a game of tennis being played between
two bare-backed students and two young men whose shirts kept on
escaping from their belts. Growing tired of this, he sauntered past the
windows toward Queen Elizabeth, his eye roving over a group of
Shrewsburians a-sprawl under the beeches, like that of a young Sultan
inspecting a rather unpromising consignment of Circassian slaves."
--Dorothy L. Sayers, /Gaudy Night/

Nice pull.

--
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
"I think so, Brain, but how will we get the Spice Girls into the
paella?"

Pamela

2021-01-24 08:46:23 UTC

In message

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either
word other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

[...]

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants.
"Meander" suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River
Menderes, or the Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course,
meandering also implies slowness.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even
stopping from time to time."

I'd say "dawdle" means the speaker thinks that the dawdler is too
slow and probably that the dawdler is distracted or reluctant.
Without checking, I feel that "Don't dawdle" is is about a
hundred times as common and "Don't amble" and "Don't stroll" put
together.

Sure, because neither stroll nor amble also mean to stop along the way.
There is also the (mainly British, I think) "a bit of a dawdle"
which I think means a short walk and also... something else that I
"Governor Hogan's 500km/h trip was a bit of a dawdle compared with
the train's actual top speed, which was set at more than 600km/h
in April. At that speed, the trip between Baltimore Washington
would be complete in less than 10 minutes."
"20th Century Women is a dawdle of a film â it wanders about
like a big shaggy dog, stopping for a look here and a sniff there.
(awfj.org)"
Which seems to match my image of dawdle.

That's true. I want to describe something just a faster than
wandering down a high street and stopping at the occasional shop
window to see the display. That might be "dawdling".

However that's just a bit too slow for what I want. Perhaps there
isn't a word for it in English.

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-24 16:55:38 UTC

Post by Pamela
That's true. I want to describe something just a faster than
wandering down a high street and stopping at the occasional shop
window to see the display. That might be "dawdling".
However that's just a bit too slow for what I want. Perhaps there
isn't a word for it in English.

Definitely not "dawdle." You describe a "stroll," and not an "amble,"
either.

Lewis

2021-01-24 18:18:41 UTC

In message

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either
word other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

[...]

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants.
"Meander" suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River
Menderes, or the Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course,
meandering also implies slowness.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even
stopping from time to time."

I'd say "dawdle" means the speaker thinks that the dawdler is too
slow and probably that the dawdler is distracted or reluctant.
Without checking, I feel that "Don't dawdle" is is about a
hundred times as common and "Don't amble" and "Don't stroll" put
together.

Sure, because neither stroll nor amble also mean to stop along the way.
There is also the (mainly British, I think) "a bit of a dawdle"
which I think means a short walk and also... something else that I
"Governor Hogan's 500km/h trip was a bit of a dawdle compared with
the train's actual top speed, which was set at more than 600km/h
in April. At that speed, the trip between Baltimore Washington
would be complete in less than 10 minutes."
"20th Century Women is a dawdle of a film — it wanders about
like a big shaggy dog, stopping for a look here and a sniff there.
(awfj.org)"
Which seems to match my image of dawdle.

That's true. I want to describe something just a faster than
wandering down a high street and stopping at the occasional shop
window to see the display. That might be "dawdling".
However that's just a bit too slow for what I want. Perhaps there
isn't a word for it in English.

You can add qualifiers to other words. "Strolling with the occasional
pause" or something.

--
I SAW NOTHING UNUSUAL IN THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE Bart chalkboard Ep. 8F17

Tony Cooper

2021-01-24 18:37:53 UTC

On Sun, 24 Jan 2021 18:18:41 -0000 (UTC), Lewis

In message

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either
word other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

[...]

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants.
"Meander" suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River
Menderes, or the Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course,
meandering also implies slowness.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even
stopping from time to time."

I'd say "dawdle" means the speaker thinks that the dawdler is too
slow and probably that the dawdler is distracted or reluctant.
Without checking, I feel that "Don't dawdle" is is about a
hundred times as common and "Don't amble" and "Don't stroll" put
together.

Sure, because neither stroll nor amble also mean to stop along the way.
There is also the (mainly British, I think) "a bit of a dawdle"
which I think means a short walk and also... something else that I
"Governor Hogan's 500km/h trip was a bit of a dawdle compared with
the train's actual top speed, which was set at more than 600km/h
in April. At that speed, the trip between Baltimore Washington
would be complete in less than 10 minutes."
"20th Century Women is a dawdle of a film it wanders about
like a big shaggy dog, stopping for a look here and a sniff there.
(awfj.org)"
Which seems to match my image of dawdle.

That's true. I want to describe something just a faster than
wandering down a high street and stopping at the occasional shop
window to see the display. That might be "dawdling".
However that's just a bit too slow for what I want. Perhaps there
isn't a word for it in English.

You can add qualifiers to other words. "Strolling with the occasional
pause" or something.

There seems to be what I consider to be an unneccessary requirement in
this group for there be a single word to use for anything that is
discussed.

If "strolling" isn't sufficient to describe what needs to be
described, then "strolling slowly" can be used.

"Strolling", to me, indicates a walking slowly and without immediate
purpose or a particular destination. "Dawdling", to me, indicates
stopping that walk along the way. One dawdles while reading the
posted menus in the window of a restaurant and then resumes the
stroll, for example.

"Dawdle" is usually used when more than one person is involved and
just one is the dawdler. It is used by the others who are eager to
continue on the way.

A saunter is short, unhurried walk. One might be sitting on a park
bench and then saunter over to that restaurant to read the menus.

All above are how I would use the words, but not instructions on how
they should be used by others.

--
Tony Cooper Orlando Florida

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-23 15:38:21 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even stopping from
time to time."

I think small children dawdle and their parents have to nag them to keep up,
or to finish brushing their teeth, or ...

I see a distinct connotation of self-approval, even smugness.

Certainly no prancing.

Does "bare-backed" mean shirtless? Cf. AmE "shirts and skins," which
however makes no sense for tennis. Are the "students" women? Maybe
"backless sun-dresses"? Did they have such a thing in 1930something?

Jerry Friedman

2021-01-23 16:36:15 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

Post by Lewis
The latter one implies a slow speed with a lot of pausing.

I think dawdle is closest to "walking slowly... and even stopping from
time to time."

That is, "as".

Post by Jerry Friedman
"Don't amble" and "Don't stroll" put together.

I think small children dawdle and their parents have to nag them to keep up,
or to finish brushing their teeth, or ...

That's the kind of thing I was talking about.

I see a distinct connotation of self-approval, even smugness.

Certainly no prancing.

Yes, the "students" at the women's college are women, contrasted with
the "young men". I assume their dresses reveal enough of their backs for
"bare-backed" to apply.

--
Jerry Friedman

Quinn C

2021-01-23 20:12:12 UTC

Yes, the "students" at the women's college are women, contrasted with
the "young men". I assume their dresses reveal enough of their backs for
"bare-backed" to apply.

In modern times, would bare-backed apply to a back only interrupted by a
bikini strap?

--
- History is full of lies.
- Ain't that the truth.
-- Andromeda, S04E12

J. J. Lodder

2021-01-23 11:38:42 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word other
than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe take a
stroll around the park following a specific path or circumnavigating it
or take a stroll down to the store, but if you amble around the park you
may be going anywhere, in any direction, and with no goal. While ambling
you may end up at the store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a slow walk,
a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast, but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is more in
the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter, meander,
promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

Not really. What flows into Paris from the east
must flow out at Le Havre, [1]
no matter how many meanders there are in between,

Jan

[1] Actually more, because tributaries flow in along the way.

Peter Moylan

2021-01-23 22:38:23 UTC

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

Not really. What flows into Paris from the east must flow out at Le
Havre, [1] no matter how many meanders there are in between,

Meanders in a river are the result of (relatively) fast flow. As a river
goes around a curve, the current is stronger in the outer part, so one
bank erodes faster than the other, and at the same time sediment is
dropped at the more or less stagnant inner bank. The effect of this is
to exaggerate the curve, until what used to be a fairly straight stretch
of water turns into a loop.

(Sometimes, though, this effect is later cancelled out when the water
discovers a shortcut between two adjacent loops.)

The formation of meanders is more likely in fast-flowing rivers.

Still, there is a connection between river meanders and slowness.
Because the river is wandering away from the direct path, the effect is
to slow the effective speed of travel.

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW

Ken Blake

2021-01-23 22:58:03 UTC

Post by Peter Moylan

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

Not really. What flows into Paris from the east must flow out at Le
Havre, [1] no matter how many meanders there are in between,

Resulting in an oxbow lake.

--
Ken

Snidely

2021-01-24 02:37:13 UTC

On Saturday, Peter Moylan pointed out that ...

Post by Peter Moylan

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

Not really. What flows into Paris from the east must flow out at Le
Havre, [1] no matter how many meanders there are in between,

Meanders in a river are the result of (relatively) fast flow. As a river
goes around a curve, the current is stronger in the outer part, so one
bank erodes faster than the other, and at the same time sediment is
dropped at the more or less stagnant inner bank. The effect of this is
to exaggerate the curve, until what used to be a fairly straight stretch
of water turns into a loop.
(Sometimes, though, this effect is later cancelled out when the water
discovers a shortcut between two adjacent loops.)
The formation of meanders is more likely in fast-flowing rivers.
Still, there is a connection between river meanders and slowness.
Because the river is wandering away from the direct path, the effect is
to slow the effective speed of travel.

Rivers often slow as they widen out, which is easier on a broad plain
than in mountains. The speed of the river also effects whether silt
stays in suspension or is dropped out, although other factors are also
involved.

Lake Louise is fairly slow moving, but it's silver blue color comes
from the suspended solids of glacial melt, doannit?

/dps

--
"That’s where I end with this kind of conversation: Language is
crucial, and yet not the answer."
Jonathan Rosa, sociocultural and linguistic anthropologist,
Stanford.,2020

J. J. Lodder

2021-01-24 10:31:09 UTC

Post by Peter Moylan

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

Not really. What flows into Paris from the east must flow out at Le
Havre, [1] no matter how many meanders there are in between,

Meanders in a river are the result of (relatively) fast flow. As a river
goes around a curve, the current is stronger in the outer part, so one
bank erodes faster than the other, and at the same time sediment is
dropped at the more or less stagnant inner bank. The effect of this is
to exaggerate the curve, until what used to be a fairly straight stretch
of water turns into a loop.
(Sometimes, though, this effect is later cancelled out when the water
discovers a shortcut between two adjacent loops.)
The formation of meanders is more likely in fast-flowing rivers.
Still, there is a connection between river meanders and slowness.
Because the river is wandering away from the direct path, the effect is
to slow the effective speed of travel.

Your description is good for rivers that are free to move,
like in a sediment plain.
The Seine otoh is not free to move, because it has dug in.
It is effectively a fixed channel.
The technical term is 'entrenched meander'.
America has even better examples.
The classic one is 'Horseshoe Bend' in the Colorado river.

It is a another nice question for their creationists.
They insist that all those canyons were cut almost instantaneously
by the receding waters of the Flood, so why and how the meanders?

Jan

Pamela

2021-01-24 08:41:32 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word
other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe
take a stroll around the park following a specific path or
circumnavigating it or take a stroll down to the store, but if
you amble around the park you may be going anywhere, in any
direction, and with no goal. While ambling you may end up at the
store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a
slow walk, a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast,
but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is
more in the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict
meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter,
meander, promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

I tend to see "amble" as some sort of gently lolloping gait but maybe
that's on account of the places I've seen it used.

J. J. Lodder

2021-01-24 12:09:50 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word
other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe
take a stroll around the park following a specific path or
circumnavigating it or take a stroll down to the store, but if
you amble around the park you may be going anywhere, in any
direction, and with no goal. While ambling you may end up at the
store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a
slow walk, a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast,
but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is
more in the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict
meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter,
meander, promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

I tend to see "amble" as some sort of gently lolloping gait but maybe
that's on account of the places I've seen it used.

It's what you do between the preamble and the postamble, isn't it?

Jan

Athel Cornish-Bowden

2021-01-24 14:08:38 UTC

Post by J. J. Lodder

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word
other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe
take a stroll around the park following a specific path or
circumnavigating it or take a stroll down to the store, but if
you amble around the park you may be going anywhere, in any
direction, and with no goal. While ambling you may end up at the
store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a
slow walk, a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast,
but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is
more in the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict
meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter,
meander, promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

I tend to see "amble" as some sort of gently lolloping gait but maybe
that's on account of the places I've seen it used.

It's what you do between the preamble and the postamble, isn't it?

I'm reminded of something we came across today. Our television,
doubtless like other modern ones, has a "replay" function that allows
you see some of the programmes given in the past week. For some reason
France 3 allows you to "replay" programmes that won't be broadcast
until tonight, like tonight's episode of Les Enquètes de Morse (I think
it's called Endeavour in Blighty). More of a preplay than a replay, I
think.

--
Athel -- British, living in France for 34 years

J. J. Lodder

2021-01-24 20:59:36 UTC

Post by J. J. Lodder

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?

There is nothing about the speed of travel implied in either word
other than "not fast".

Post by Pamela
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without
exertion and even stopping from time to time.

Ambling implies more aimlessness than strolling. You would maybe
take a stroll around the park following a specific path or
circumnavigating it or take a stroll down to the store, but if
you amble around the park you may be going anywhere, in any
direction, and with no goal. While ambling you may end up at the
store, but not as part of any intent.
The end result may be slower when ambling, but neither means a
slow walk, a relaxed pace. A leisurely pace. Definitely not fast,
but not plodding.
But they are basically synonyms, and the fine gradation above is
more in the overall sense of how they are used than in a strict
meaning.
Other words that are much the same in meaning are saunter,
meander, promenade, perambulate, roam, ramble, and dawdle.

I think "saunter" comes closest to what Pamela wants. "Meander"
suggests a wiggly path, like that of the River Menderes, or the
Seine between Paris and Le Havre. Of course, meandering also
implies slowness.

I tend to see "amble" as some sort of gently lolloping gait but maybe
that's on account of the places I've seen it used.

It's what you do between the preamble and the postamble, isn't it?

Completely standard in these parts for those that take their TV over IP,

Jan

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-24 16:53:41 UTC

Post by Pamela
I tend to see "amble" as some sort of gently lolloping gait but maybe
that's on account of the places I've seen it used.

I don't know what "lollop" is, but "the places I've seen it used" is the
_only_ guide to a word's meaning. (Dictionaries only collect and
publicize such places.)

Ken Blake

2021-01-22 21:02:13 UTC

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Are hyphenated words allowed? The-way-my-wife-walks.

--
Ken

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-22 21:52:55 UTC

Post by Ken Blake

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Are hyphenated words allowed? The-way-my-wife-walks.

Why on earth would that be hyphenated? I can't come up with
a context where it would appear as an adjective.

Pamela

2021-01-24 08:47:04 UTC

Post by Ken Blake

Post by Pamela
Is "strolling" done faster than "ambling"?
I want a word to convey the idea of walking slowly, without exertion
and even stopping from time to time.

Are hyphenated words allowed? The-way-my-wife-walks.

Not too energetic then! :)

occam

2021-01-23 07:47:13 UTC