Is there a difference in tone or meaning between accidentally and inadvertently? I feel like accidentally means they did something that was a bad thing.
this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2026
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I agree it seems a strange choice of words.
Japanese monks and emperors kept meticulous records of cherry blossom festivals for 1,200 years. ~~They accidentally~~ In doing so they built the world's longest climate dataset
Something like that seems more straightforward.
I think “inadvertently” fits in that it isn’t what they were intending to do.
“Accidentally” feels sorta judgy.
I think a journalist might choose the word 'unintentionally'; inadvertently is a bit clunky, it lacks a bit of music, and it gives me a sense of slapstick comedy. This sentence, for instance, "Having inadvertently caused the death of her son," sounds to me like the son died as a result of some Pink Panther bit.
I don't think 'accidentally' here needs to feel judgy per se, but it is hard to imagine an English major choosing it.
Yeah I like “unintentionally” better as well.
Why do I feel like we are making AI better by having this conversation?
AI will do whatever we do (on average) because that's what it's built to. Making mistakes on purpose may be a useful way of signaling our humanity at some point, but it's an ever-moving target.
Yeah. “It was an accident” sounds like pleading, excusing. “I inadvertently…” sounds like an explanation of the facts. imo
Was going to say this myself and then saw your comment. Totally agree. 'Accidently' practically implies that the record keeping itself only happened because some pencils happened to fall on paper. They did exactly what they intended to and used it for their own purpose. It just turned out to have a different purpose, too.
That's an even better way of looking at it, to avoid "accidentally". Great point!
Aww, shit. Now there's record all over the floor... I'll go get the data bin...
You got the statistimop there as well? (I'm reaching...)
Love the user name, by the way. 👌
Thanks! You can have it!
Edit: I like eating poops. Yum yum.
2nd Edit: @victorz@lemmy.world why would you write something that like???
Accidents don’t have to be bad? Accident means just “not on purpose” it has no connotation either way
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I salute you. Few are those who take the time to find appropriate word for the meaning.
Mr Bob Ross would like a word...
I agree with you on inadvertently, but accident, if I'm not mistaken would generally considered something where you do not inherently attribute blame. At least thats what I recall being justification for making the change in UK in calling traffic 'incidents' incidents instead of accidents several years back. Dunno if it stuck though.
UK in calling traffic ‘incidents’ incidents instead of accidents several years back. Dunno if it stuck though.
Wait is that real? I thought it was just a joke when it was said in Hot Fuzz
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Hmm not necessarily, accidentally has no negative implication unlike accident usually has. In this particular case the meaning of accidentally is synonym with unexpectedly or by chance.
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They accidentally became climate change wackos supporting a communist agenda to make everyone gay and push taxes supporting public transportation.
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Is that dataset up anywhere as a CSV?
I'd really love to build a lesson around it!
"Kill them all. Steal their data." - MAGA
Well, glaciers keep the longest climate datasets, it's just in a format that takes some work to translate.
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