"take a decision vs make a decision"

[smokeycat]

I've noticed a marked increase of the use of "take a decision", rather than "make a decision", particularly with reference to the Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision on the release of Megrahi. It would appear from some googling that "take" is more commonly used in the UK than in the US, (although even then only 12% of usage) but I'm sure I haven't heard its use until recently. Just sounds wrong to me.......
Smokey

 

[Welshbird]

I would always make a decision. Unless I was feeling indecisive of course.

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen

 

[2ffat]

Take a decision" sounds to me like the military's version of "volunteer."


James P. Cottingham
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[SkipVought]

I'm partial to a definite maybe.

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my old subtlety...
for a NUANCE![/sub]

 

[LeeMcCauslin]

Perhaps I would make a decision but if several possible decisions were presented to me I would take one of them?

"Dyin'? Boy, He can have this little life any time He wants to. Do Ya hear that? Are ya hearin' it? Come on. You're welcome to it, Ol' Timer. Let me know You're up there. Come on. Love me, hate me, kill me, anything. Just let me know it... I'm just standin' in the rain talkin' to myself."

 

[Welshbird]

I'd still make a decision. Or possibly I'd take one of the presented options, but I don't believe one can take a decision.

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen

 

[acl03]

Maybe one cannot take a decision, but one can not take a decision.

Meaning...

My wife decided that I will go shopping, but I will not take that decision!

Thanks,
Andrew

Hard work often pays off over time, but procrastination pays off right now!

 

[flapeyre]

I don't take (or make) a decision; I decide. The other options are wordy.

-- Francis
I'd like to change the world, but I can't find the source code.

 

[LeeMcCauslin]

Francis is the decider!

;-)

"Dyin'? Boy, He can have this little life any time He wants to. Do Ya hear that? Are ya hearin' it? Come on. You're welcome to it, Ol' Timer. Let me know You're up there. Come on. Love me, hate me, kill me, anything. Just let me know it... I'm just standin' in the rain talkin' to myself."

 

[flapeyre]

Coincidentally, smokeycat, I happen to have a cat named Smokey.

-- Francis
I'd like to change the world, but I can't find the source code.

 

[gbaughma]

I have never heard "take a decision" before. But, then again, I'm a merry-kin.

"What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual. 2 languages? Bilingual. 1 language? American."

hehe



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[Annihilannic]

Coincidentally, smokeycat, I happen to have a cat named Smokey.

Now you know who's been using up all your Internet bandwidth!

Annihilannic.

 

[smokeycat]

Francis - so do I!

Greg - well I thought "take a decision" sounded like another Americanism that was sneaking into our everyday language but it seems I'm wrong, apologies!

Smokey

 

[vb5prgrmr]

While the subordinate must take the decision made by the boss, even though it is the wrong one, and do the best that they can with it. The subordinate should have taken the boss by the hand and led them to the correct decision by walking them step by step through the process. That way the boss would have had a chance to make a decision that would have been the correct one.

 

[CajunCenturion]

To me, the verb 'to take' is very different than the verb 'to make'. Taking involves the the object (in this case the 'decision') being created by another. Making involves creating the object yourself. I would interpret 'taking a decision' as one choosing a decision that was made by someone else. I would interpret 'making a decision' as one arriving at the decision on their own.


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[smokeycat]

CC,
That illustrates my view exactly - one can only "make" a decision oneself, or "take" from a choice of decisions, so it is another common misuse of the language creeping in that will no doubt become common use.