How different are these words? I was reading about a new role in nursing that has been established. First, they wrote that the panel confirmed that the role has emerged; then they stated that the stakeholders affirmed the need to produce these clinicians.

In looking these words up in dictionary.com, I just cannot seem to discern a difference. Oftentimes, though, people here recognize the subtleties better than I do. Do these words denote any differences to you?

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
How different are these words? I was reading about a new role in nursing that has been established. First, they wrote that the panel _confirmed_ that the role has emerged; then they stated that the stakeholders _affirmed_ the need to produce these clinicians.

In looking these words up in dictionary.com, I just cannot seem to discern a difference. Oftentimes, though, people here recognize the subtleties better than I do. Do these words denote any differences to you?

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I'd see the difference as being that to affirm is to state that something is true but to confirm is to state that someone else's belief or your own previously held belief is true.
Confirm carries an element of proof or agreement about it whereas affirm simply states that something is true.
The first definitions in my dictionary bear this out but affirm gives as it's second definition "confirm". None of the definitions of confirm listed give affirm and this seems to indicate that, as I'd suspect affirm carries a wider meaning than confirm.

Non curo ! Si metrum no habet, non est poema.

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One may answer "in the affirmative," but who's ever answered "in the confirmative?" Thus I feel that affirmation is agreement to a belief or a statement. Confirmation seems to imply validation rather than agreement only.

My .17852 Euro's worth

Good point, Asa!

Bob, it makes sense. However, I put "confirm" into Onelook and found that Wordsmyth has "affirm" as a synonym. Yet, I agree that "confirm" more often has "affirm" as a synonym, than vice versa.

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Originally posted by BobHale:
gives as it's second definition

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!!

To affirm is to express a belief (or intention).
To confirm is to express agreement (or consent).

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Originally posted by pauld:
To affirm is to express a belief (or intention).
To confirm is to express agreement (or consent).

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Well put. And concise, too.

I think Paul has captured the essence of the difference. You affirm that your statement is true. You call the airline to confirm your reservation.

Tinman

Okay, here is the quote that instigated my question. I just don't see a difference in the use of these words in this statement (from a national nursing organization):

"Participants at a recent Stakeholders' Reaction Panel Meeting confirmed that this role has emerged and is being further developed on an ad hoc basis....Stakeholders affirmed the need to produce these clinicians through a formal degree-granting program of education."

In both instances, I believe it is a group consensus. Understand, that these stakeholders don't have an intention to produce these clinicians; universities will do that. They just agree that the role should be developed.

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
Okay, here is the quote that instigated my question. I just don't see a difference in the use of these words in this statement (from a national nursing organization):

"Participants at a recent Stakeholders' Reaction Panel Meeting _confirmed_ that this role has emerged and is being further developed on an ad hoc basis....Stakeholders _affirmed_ the need to produce these clinicians through a formal degree-granting program of education."

In _both_ instances, I believe it is a group consensus. Understand, that these stakeholders don't have an _intention_ to produce these clinicians; universities will do that. They just _agree_ that the role should be developed.

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Someone had previously said (or it had previously been agreed) that the role had emerged. Perticipants agreed.
Stakeholders said that in their opinion there was a need to produce these clinicians through a formal program.

Of course that's just what the words mean. What the people involved meant depends on how well they understood the words.

Non curo ! Si metrum no habet, non est poema.

Read all about my travels around the world here.
Read even more of my travel writing and poems on my weblog.

Thanks, Bob. I do think that is what they meant.

This discussion made me think of our use of "assent" and "consent". Now, dictionary.com says they both mean to agree, and in fact "consent" is defined as "assent." Yet, "consent" has a different meaning of giving permission to something that is planned; for example, a surgical consent. In Illinois, for example, if we conduct a research study with children under aged 18, we have to obtain "assent" from the child, but formal "consent" from the parent or legal guardian. Is "assent" generally used to mean "consent", except for this situation?

Thanks Tinman.

Let me try another -- to me, assent is milder than consent. I assent to something if I do not prohibit it, it is almost a passive thing. If I consent to it, I have given it explicit permission, it is an active thing.

To assent is to allow something.
To consent is to agree with it.

(Also, can assent be a noun? I can give my consent to my daughter's marriage, but can I give my assent?)

Not so concise, I fear.

On reflection, parliamentary bills get the Royal Assent, so presumably it can be a noun.

Presumably the Queen is content to allow the thing to be made law, even if she does not agree with it. If she gave it the Royal Consent, she would be be expressing some degree of active agreement with it?