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Dictionaries are not generally concerned with phonetic transcription, but rather with phonemic transcription of the words presented.

Sentence by myself. I just wanted to see if this sentence makes sense, specifically the usage of the word "concerned." I checked the meaning of "concerned" in Oxford Dictionary of English, American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, but still I'm not sure if this specific usage is correct.

Thank you in advance.

PS: Also, is the rest of the sentence grammatically correct?

PPS: Here are links to the entries for "concerned" in Merriam-Webster's Dictionary and American Heritage Dictionary, respectively: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concerned https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=concerned

And simply googling "define concerned" will bring up the Oxford definition. It was requested that I quote this definition. Here it is:

Worried, troubled, or anxious.

Although Merriam-Webster (with the link provided above) provides more definitions with different shades of meaning, and American Heritage Dictionary gives at least two.

I do realize that some of the definitions linked may apply in this case, but, to me at least, none of the definitions (alongside the examples) prove that this word can be used here too, because it is not exactly clear in which contexts the word can be used. All I'm asking for is, if possible, a native's word on whether this usage sounds right or not.

On a second thought, I guess I've just been too finicky about possibly limited applicabilities of the definitions, and maybe I should just accept them as showing that my sentence is correct. Still, I'd be really grateful if a native said how this usage sounds to them. Sorry for bothering.

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  • Please add research: an attributed link. Which definition are you unsure about? CED's << be concerned with something/someone: C1 to be about a particular thing or person: Today's lesson is concerned with punctuation. >> looks spot on. Commented Mar 1, 2021 at 19:14
  • Edwin Ashworth: I added links to my question. My problem with the definition you mention is exactly what I just wrote in the PPS above, although, as I also mentioned, maybe I'm just being too finicky and should accept it as is. So are you saying that this sentences sounds right to you? (And sorry for asking, but are you a native? Because if yes, then your word is all I need.)
    – A.M.
    Commented Mar 1, 2021 at 22:07
  • '[A]re you a native? Because if yes, then your word is all I need.' Are you kidding? We fight here over how 'word', 'sentence' and especially 'preposition' are defined. //// I'm an Oxford grad, living near Manchester for 70 years. //// The [Farlex Dictionary of Idioms](idioms.thefreedictionary.com/… definition of 'bother about' ('bother about (someone or something) To expend one's energy [/devote space to] considering or addressing a particular person or issue' is a good definition ... Commented Mar 2, 2021 at 12:41
  • of 'be concerned with' in this particular usage (there are other senses, like 'be worried about'). But 'bother about' is pretty informal (and incidentally usually used with a negator, 'He's not bothered about ...'). I'd admittedly choose 'usually do not address' rather than 'are not generally concerned with' (needs later adjustment to the sentence) here, as there's less of a hint of human involvement/preference/choice/partiality, but the original is totally acceptable. Commented Mar 2, 2021 at 12:47
  • Edwin Ashworth: Thank you so much for your explanation and suggested alternatives! I think this sort of clears things up, so do you think I should close the question, or just leave it open to see if I get more answers? (I'm asking because I'm not yet very familiar with how things work here.)
    – A.M.
    Commented Mar 2, 2021 at 14:28

1 Answer 1

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The Farlex Dictionary of Idioms definition of 'bother about [someone or something]' in this sense:

  • To expend one's energy [/devote space to] considering or addressing a particular person or issue

is also a good definition of 'be concerned with' in this particular usage. (There are other senses of 'be concerned with', like 'be worried about'). But 'bother about' is pretty informal (and incidentally heading towards being a 'negative polarity item', usually used with a negator etc, 'He's not bothered about ...').

Finding a definition of this precise sense of 'be concerned with' is difficult; Lexico comes close with

  • 1.4 be concerned with: Regard [it] as important or interesting to do something.

I was mainly concerned with making something that children could enjoy.

The Cambridge Dictionary gives a clinical definition, 'address', which perhaps does not do justice to the connotation of 'careful consideration' 'concern' imputes:

  • be concerned with: to be about a particular thing or person:

Today's lesson is concerned with punctuation.

I'd admittedly choose 'usually do not address' rather than 'are not generally concerned with' (needs later adjustment to the sentence) here (in your original sentence), as there's less of the hint of human involvement/preference/choice/partiality, but the original is totally acceptable.

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  • Thank you! Apparently I was looking in the wrong place. I checked the word "concerned," while I should have checked "concern" too. So should I remove the perhaps useless definition I just added to my question?
    – A.M.
    Commented Mar 2, 2021 at 15:34
  • It's evidence of research! You get a feel for when perseverence in digging through various dictionaries will pay off (if you don't have easy access to OED), and exactly what string to search for. Commented Mar 2, 2021 at 16:50
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    I just wanted to thank you again for taking time to answer my question and provide all these comments.
    – A.M.
    Commented Mar 2, 2021 at 17:10

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