Inspire v.encourage

[wil]

Encourage is like telling someone what to do, how to be.

Inspire... Is when someone sees what you are doing, how you are being and wants to emulate that behaviour...

Thoughts?

 

[Devils' Advocate]

At first thought not so sure there is a significant difference.

Encourage is an act of giving - it can be an inner or an outer influence though. Yes one can encourage someone else. One can also encourage oneself as well though.

Inspire works the same way both inner and outer influences can inspire someone. Interestingly inspire is more often (though certainly not always) associated with religious or supernatural influence. Encourage does not have that connotation.

 

[wil]

Hmmm thx

Inspire? Religious? Now I go and look them up...

in·spire
inˈspī(ə)r/
verb

1. 1.
   fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
   
   
   
2. 2.
   breathe in (air); inhale

en·cour·age
inˈkərij/
verb

1. give support, confidence, or hope to (someone).
   
   
   
   • give support and advice to (someone) so that they will do or continue to do something.
     
     
   • help or stimulate (an activity, state, or view) to develop.

Encourage still seems more outwardly, and forceful....

 

[Devils' Advocate]

Just depends on which dictionary you look up online!

 

[Aussie Thoughts]

Interestingly inspire is more often (though certainly not always) associated with religious or supernatural influence. Encourage does not have that connotation.

The Bible inspires me. I encourage everyone to read it. I find Biblical inspiration encouraging. My dad's encouraging words are what first inspired me to Read the Bible. Whoa... I'm getting dizzy...

 

[Nowhere Man]

Sometimes people need encouragement. Like those who have a lack of confidence or hesitates or is reluctant.

Inspiration seems to serve as a type of mental catalyst for which a person can approach a particular problem or obstacle without the support of being encouraged.

I think the terms can certainly be interrelated but not nessessarly interchangeable in the context it's used.