using solitary

[alpacinou]

Hello.

Can I use the word "solitary" with "existence"? Is the sentence I have written correct and natural?

He mostly lives inside his head. He has led a solitary existence for many years.

Do I have other options to express the idea?

 

[emsr2d2]

"solitary existence" is the natural collocation there. However, someone who mostly lives inside their own head doesn't necessarily lead a solitary existence.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Right. A solitary person is physically alone.

 

[alpacinou]

Do you mean that the two sentence don't work together? How can I fix it?

 

[emsr2d2]

Since they are different ideas you could make it one sentence and join the two ideas with "and".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Do you mean that the two sentences don't work together? How can I fix it?

If you mean that he lives in physical isolation, there's an easy fix: Combine them into one sentence with a comma and an and.

Then it will be clear that the second thought isn't a rephrasing of the first thought.

If you don't mean that, you could get rid of solitary and replace it with something like private.

 

[alpacinou]

What is the meaning of "he lives inside his own head"? Doesn't it mean he is an introverted and lonely person and he doesn't communicate with other people?

 

[emsr2d2]

No. It's more like he does a lot of daydreaming or lives in a bit of a fantasy world. He might live in a house full of people, work in a really busy office and spend lots of time on public transport. That's not a solitary existence.

Don't you know people who can be present physically but don't seem to be really "there"? You might ask them a question and they'll look at you vaguely and say "Huh? What? Sorry - what was the question?" You can tell that their mind was somewhere else!

 

[alpacinou]

No. It's more like he does a lot of daydreaming or live in bit of a fantasy world. He might live in a house full of people, work in a really busy office and spend lots of time on public transport. That's not a solitary existence.

Don't you know people who can be present physically but don't seem to be really "there"? You might ask them a question and they'll look at you vaguely and say "Huh? What? Sorry - what was the question?" You can tell that their mind was somewhere else!

Excellent explanation. Now I get it. :up:

One small thing about solitary existence: Let's say a person goes to work via public transportation. But when he is home, he is completely alone and doesn't spend time with any one outside workplace. Can't we say he has a solitary life? I mean do we use solitary to talk about a person who is always at home?

 

[emsr2d2]

Excellent explanation. Now I get it. :up:

One small thing about a solitary existence: Let's say a person goes to work via public transportation no full stop here but when he is home, he is completely alone and doesn't spend time with anyone outside his workplace. Can't we say he has a solitary life? I mean do we use solitary to talk about a person who is always at home?

Someone who goes out to work on public transport isn't always at home! Someone with no job and who doesn't go out with friends or anywhere else is always at home. Now that's a solitary existence.

We don't say that people who simply live alone lead a solitary life.

 

[alpacinou]

Someone who goes out to work on public transport isn't always at home! Someone with no job and who doesn't go out with friends or anywhere else is always at home. Now that's a solitary existence.

We don't say that people who simply live alone lead a solitary life.

So, if a person has a job, no matter how lonely he/she is in their personal life, we cannot use the term solitary for them?

 

[jutfrank]

Not really, no. Not if he spends his working hours around other people.

Remember that solitary is not the same as lonely. If you mean he has led a lonely existence, then say that instead.

 

[alpacinou]

Not really, no. Not if he spends his working hours around other people.

Remember that solitary is not the same as lonely. If you mean he has led a lonely existence, then say that instead.

I really like this collocation: lonely existence. :up:

English is full of great collocations! You just gotta be lucky enough to discover as many of them as you can!

 

[jutfrank]

Do you have a collocations dictionary, alpacinoutd? You might want to get one.

Until then, have a play around with this: https://inspirassion.com/en/adj/sound