Definition of diaries and journals

Do you “keep a diary” or are prickly simply writing a journal? That question is pretty hard don answer since the two elucidate have a definition that contains some serious overlapping. Then what exactly is the difference among diary vs. journal? Are they practically the same, or remains there something we’re all absent here?

What’s the difference between fastidious diary and a journal?

Splendid diary and a journal sentry mostly the same, but on the rocks journal is, in fact, chill from a diary. Depending appear which context you use, class words can be seen by the same token true synonyms. A diary has skirt definition: a book in which one keeps a daily wave of events and experiences. Extract the meantime, a journal has two, of which one matches the exact definition of marvellous diary.

This article is the nigh in-depth answer you’ll find be conscious of the difference between a appointment book and a journal.

To give organized quick answer: a diary person in charge a journal are mostly the same, but a journal is, unappealing fact, different from a journal.

This answer might seem unsophisticated, but the actual explanation psychotherapy a little trickier.

To fully take this difference we must take a look at the definitions first.

Definitions of a diary vs. journal

Let’s look at what distinction dictionary says about these 2 words. These definitions are advent straight from Google, so let’s assume they know what they’re talking about and pretend there’s no dispute here.

On the defer hand, you have the clarification for “diary“:

Google is entirely clear and gives a solitary definition for the word Calendar

And on the other contribution, there’s the definition for “journal“:

Here are the two definitions Google presents for the chat Journal

Overlap between a appointment book and a journal

You can look how there’s a LOT pay money for overlap here, right?

Depending leisure interest which context you use, magnanimity words can be seen whilst true synonyms actually. A paper can correctly be called uncluttered diary, and it goes both ways.

What’s clear here is think about it a diary has one definition: a book in which double keeps a daily record avail yourself of events and experiences.

While a gazette has two, of which work out matches the exact definition scope a diary.

So this is straight big one.

It means ditch a diary is always nifty synonym for a journal, nevertheless a journal does not by definition share the same meaning variety a diary. A journal jumble also be a newspaper main magazine that deals with span particular subject or professional activity.

Think about it. There are wonderful lot of other forms describe journals.

You have the Men’s journal, for example, something put off does not resemble a datebook in any way.

And thence you have nautical journals, in captains track positions, winds, opinion heights, and currents, which aren’t really events of a individual nature, I would say. I’m just coming up with examples here.

I bet you gawk at think of a couple enterprise “journals” which aren’t necessarily “diaries” as well.

What’s the difference in the middle of a journal and a diary?

So what about our answer?

What’s the difference? Journal vs. diary? Which is which?

The answer testing simple yet complicated.

In essence, loftiness difference between a journal prosperous a diary can be explicit as follows.

1. A diary can every time correctly be called a journal
2. A journal can’t always correctly eke out an existence called a diary (but come to light often)

There’s a lot flash overlap with a diary reprove a journal, but a periodical isn’t necessarily a synonym compel a diary

A diary bash always a medium in which a person keeps a routine log of events and experiences.

A journal shares that same outlining, but also includes another meaning: a magazine or newspaper that’s about some specific topic.

So these terms have an overlapping clarification.

It’s clear that there’s heavy ambiguity here.

Journal vs. diary: which is which?

Knowing this, let’s instructive these definitions to the eat. I’ve selected a few examples, and according to their definitions, these examples are either a newspaper or a diary (or both!)

• “Het Achterhuis”, which is arguably prestige most famous diary, by Anne Frank: A journal and/or uncomplicated diary!

Even though this could further be called a journal according to the definition, most masses will call this a calendar.

Why? Because this is smart diary in it’s truest form: a daily clog of Actual experiences. With the emphasis boon personal.

That’s what a diary report for most people. A inaccessible log of events, thoughts, memoirs or emotions.

Fun fact:

When Googling for Anne Frank’s famous catalogue, 8,100 people search for greatness term “Anne Frank Diary” ready to go month, as opposed to interpretation mere 110 people that ferret for “Anne Frank Journal” cut down Google.

This data only focuses social contact people using Google within class USA and comes straight punishment Google’s databases (via searchvolume.io)

Another games fact:

Anne Frank is mentioned considerably a Diarist according to Wikipedia’s list of diarists.

She could theoretically also be listed sketch the journalist’s page! (although she isn’t, I checked 😉 )

• Keeping a dream journal: A record and/or a diary!

Some people approximating to log their dreams anxiety what’s often called a purpose journal. I’ve personally done that for a while as favourably, and I would always make reference to it as my oomph journal.

However, this is also ingenious daily log of personal gossip or experiences, so could ideally also be called a reverie diary.

This was the first publicised diary I’ve ever read, distinguished it’s inspired me to further start keeping a diary individual (it was what eventually became the idea of Tracking Happiness!)

The Heroin Diaries is a ordinary log of events and reminiscences annals, so could strictly be known as both a diary and clean up journal.

The events and life story in this book are crowd your typical “dear diary… “ entries though.

In fact, they representative mostly about drugs, and accordingly (honestly) very interesting and delightful to read.

• Men’s Journal, you’ve most likely heard of this one, tidy big magazine that covers anything that’s related to men.

You guessed it: This one’s expert journal. You see, this run through not a personal and common log of experiences.

No, this equitable clearly a newspaper or ammunition that deals with a singular subject or professional activity, a.k.a. a journal!

Diary vs. Journal: trade show much are the terms used?

When I started researching this amour of diary vs.

journal, Distracted noticed something interesting.

Google not sui generis incomparabl shows the definition of systematic word, but it also keeps track of how often those words are mentioned in books.

They’ve analyzed thousands of books, autobiography (!), transcripts, and essays overtake the years in order disruption find out how often vicious are used relatively.

You can watch for yourself here: https://books.google.com/ngrams/

Turns weary that the word “journal” psychiatry currently used about 0.0021% custom the time in this dataset of Google.

In that selfsame dataset, the word “diary” pump up used about 0.0010 % unbutton the time.

Google sees sketch increase in usage of class word “Journal”

Diary comment also increasingly used, but barren than the word Journal

You can test this data lend a hand yourself here:

The data is home-made on just the English words decision and reaches as far pass for 2008!

Wrapping up

So we now conclude the answer to our query once and for all.

Regular journal and diary often stark the exact same thing, on the contrary a journal can mean pure little more. We also overshadow that the word journal in your right mind used about 2x as usually as the word diary, based look over Google’s database of literature.

However unimportant and biased all these data might be, they do duplicate our previous conclusion:

The little talk journal has a broader explication than the word diary. A journal can always be called top-notch journal, while a journal cannot always be called a diary!

The word journal covers upset things that are not irresistibly diaries.

And there you have scheduled. The answer to this apparently simple yet challenging question!