Dictate

Part of Speech

Verb

Pronunciation

/dɪkˈteɪt/

Definitions

• Dictate: To say or read aloud for someone to transcribe or record.
• Dictate: To prescribe or order authoritatively; to control or influence something.
• Dictate: To speak in a commanding manner, often with authority or as a command.

Usage Examples

• "The manager will dictate the letter for the secretary to write."
• "She was able to dictate the terms of the contract to her client."
• "He tried to dictate the terms of the negotiation to the other party."

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word "dictare," meaning "to say or declare," which is a frequentative form of "dicere," meaning "to say." The verb "dictate" first appeared in English in the late 16th century.

Synonyms

• Command
• Order
• Prescribe
• Direct
• Instruct
• Govern

Antonyms

• Follow
• Obey
• Submit
• Comply
• Negotiate

Translations

Regional Pronunciation Variations

• In British English, "dictate" may have a softer "t" sound, pronounced as /dɪkˈteɪt/ with a light "t".
• In American English, the "t" sound may be more pronounced, sounding more like a clear "t" as in /ˈdɪkteɪt/.

Historical Usage

The word "dictate" has been in use since the 16th century and has evolved from a sense of commanding or ordering to include the idea of recording speech for transcription. It was particularly relevant with the invention of dictation devices like the Dictaphone in the early 20th century.

Cultural Nuances

In many cultures, dictating is associated with authority, such as in the legal, political, and military fields, where commands or orders are issued to be followed. It often reflects hierarchical structures in society where one person holds power to issue commands to others.

More Information

To "dictate" can also refer to the process of controlling the flow or direction of events. Historically, dictating has been closely tied to formalized settings such as business and government, where decisions and instructions were communicated through dictation to stenographers, clerks, or secretaries. In modern times, dictation is commonly done through digital devices and software for transcription and voice-to-text conversion, which has revolutionized how dictating is done.