Actually vs Anyway - What's the difference?
actually | anyway |
(modal) In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively.
(obsolete) actively
remarked upon the irony that this qualifier of veracity often introduces an utter lie;, page 3 and,
* noted that in many cases, (term) functions as little more than a vacuous emphatic utterance.ibidem , page 4
* In practice, actually and its synonyms are often used to insinuate that the following is either unusual or contrary to a norm or preceding assumption, or to merely preface an overconfident opinion contrasting a previous statement or norm (as per 'vacuous emphasis' note above).
: This is actually a really beautiful song. (contrasting opinion)
: Actually , I'm not from France - I'm from Switzerland. (contrary from assumption)
: At the check-out, the cashier actually greeted me for once. (contrary from norm)
(obsolete) In any way.
*, II.2.5:
(conjunctive) ; anyhow.
(speech act) (Used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement). See anyhow.
* 1962 , (Bob Dylan),
(speech act)
*
In obsolete terms the difference between actually and anyway
is that actually is actively while anyway is in any way.As adverbs the difference between actually and anyway
is that actually is in act or in fact; really; in truth; positively while anyway is in any way.actually
English
Adverb
(-)- Actually , I had nothing to do with that incident.
- Neither actually nor passively. — Fuller.
Alternative forms
* actially (nonstandard)Usage notes
* In some other languages a word of similar spelling means "now" or "currently"; (e.g., Portuguese "atualmente", Spanish "actualmente", French "actuellement", German "aktuell", Italian "attualmente", Czech ""). This leads many non-native speakers of English to use "actually" when they mean "now" or "currently". * Some commentators have: *Synonyms
* in reality * literally * really * truthfullyanyway
English
Adverb
(-)- He that sleeps in the day-time, or is in suspense, fear, anyway troubled in mind, or goes to bed upon a full stomach, may never hope for quiet rest in the night […].
- He didn't enjoy washing his car, but it was so dirty that he did it anyway .
- I don't think that's true. I haven't found any evidence, anyway .
- But I wish there were somethin' you would do or say / To try and make me change my mind and stay / We never did too much talkin' anyway / Don't think twice, it's all right.
