# To tell someone "verbally", meaning it was spoken

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 19, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871 "2004-07-19T19:54:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871/1 "2004-07-19T19:54:55Z")

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Ever since I can remember, people have said that something was communicated or answered “verbally”, meaning that it wasn’t written. But “verbally” means, or should mean, ‘in words’, or ‘having to do with words’. Clearly that should including written communication as well. How on earth else can you communicate something to someone, barring moments of human intimacy when no words are requred?

So how long has the adverb “verbally” meant “orally”? Was it originally an incorrect usage, that later became correct, like “flaunt” for “flout” and “reticent” for “reluctant”?

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**Author:** ![ericbrownsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@ericbrownsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ericbrownsmith)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871/2 "2004-07-19T20:22:28Z")

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[QUOTE= But “verbally” means, or should mean, ‘in words’, or ‘having to do with words’. Clearly that should including written communication as well. How on earth else can you communicate something to someone, barring moments of human intimacy when no words are requred?

So how long has the adverb “verbally” meant “orally”? Was it originally an incorrect usage, that later became correct, like “flaunt” for “flout” and “reticent” for “reluctant”?[/QUOTE]

Hmm. I must admit that, on reference to my dictionary, all references to “verbal, verbally, verbose”, etc do not actually state that it is the spoken word rather than the written word. Nevertheless, is it not reasonable to take the view that the generally accepted use of the word verbal refers to the spoken word? Then again, if one does, what is the distinction between “verbal” and “oral”? (mind you I’ve never heard of “verbal sex”.)

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871/3 "2004-07-19T20:47:29Z")

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Without taking the universal current usage into consideration, “verbally” to me means anything in words. Nothing can be spoken or written that isn’t verbal. Nonverbal communication is drawings, symbols, gestures, grunts, moans, sighs, etc.

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**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871/4 "2004-07-19T21:16:50Z")

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[Dictionary dot com](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=verbally)

verbal·ly adv.

```
Usage Note: Verbal has been used since the 16th century to refer to spoken, as opposed to written, communication, and the usage cannot be considered incorrect. But because verbal may also mean “by linguistic means,” it may be ambiguous in some contexts. Thus the phrase modern technologies for verbal communication may refer only to devices such as radio, the telephone, and the loudspeaker, or it may refer to devices such as the telegraph, the teletype, and the fax machine. In such contexts it may be clearer to use the word oral to convey the narrower sense of communication by spoken means.
```

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**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-tell-someone-verbally-meaning-it-was-spoken/255871/5 "2004-07-19T22:49:32Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> verbal, _a._ and _n._
> 
> 1. a. Expressed or conveyed by speech instead of writing; stated or delivered by word of mouth; oral.
> 
> 1591 Horsey Trav. (Hakluyt Soc.) 241 His Majestys verball answer to those two points conteyned within her Majestys letters.

While true there are earlier references to the usage referring principally to words themselves, this is still amongst the earliest cites in the entry.