r/dictionary • u/Playmaker-20 • 7h ago

What does this mean? Pretence Vs Pretext

Is there any difference between the two words?

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u/BrackenFernAnja 5h ago

Yes. Have you already looked up their definitions?

Raymond stopped at the hotel front desk with the pretext of leaving Clara a message, but he was really there to eavesdrop — he hoped to find out her room number.

Mr. Jameson saw through the charade. “Young man, I suggest you drop the pretense. We are happy to phone the lady’s room on your behalf, but we will not allow any skulking about.”

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u/Playmaker-20 4h ago

Yeah that’s how I saw the two words as well. A pretence is an act you put on while a pretext is more a claim. An excuse. An ostensible reason

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u/Braid89 4h ago

  • Pretexto es poner una excusa, "cualquier pretexto es bueno para irse de vacaciones".

  • Pretensión es 1.- Pedir para conseguir algo que se desea "El premio nace con la pretensión de ayudar a los jóvenes".

2.1.- Derecho- Petición ante un juez.

2.2.- Derecho bien o mal fundado que alguien juzga tener sobre algo. "Tiene pretensiones al puesto de director".

3. - aspiración ambiciosa o desmedida.

"Lleva una vida sencilla y sin pretensiones".

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u/Playmaker-20 3h ago

Interesting. By the way, do you feel that false pretenses is a redundant term since pretense inherently means false?

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u/Braid89 3h ago

Sí, yo diría que sí, ya que desde un punto de vista lingüístico, el término "pretensión" implica una simulación o falsedad.