Cumbersome vs. awkward?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi, when do we use cumbersome and when awkward? I mean is there a hugh difference between those two words are they more or less the same? I know that a sentence, for example, can be awkward, but can also be cumbersome? Is awkward more for intantible things and awkward for tangible things. And while we are at it, what is the difference between intangible and abstract?
Thanks a lot!
Nicole

2

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Cumbersome I would reserve for things that are both awkward and heavy. From OneLook Dictionary Search:

Quick definitions (cumbersome)

  1. difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight (Example: “A cumbersome piece of machinery”)
  2. not elegant or graceful in expression (Example: “His cumbersome writing style”)

Quick definitions (awkward)

  1. difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape (Example: “An awkward bundle to carry”)
  2. not elegant or graceful in expression (Example: “An awkward prose style”)
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3

Why, Nicole, who were you thinking of? Anyway, is there a huge or grant, sorry, grand difference there? :stuck_out_tongue:

P.S. I heard they’ve published ‘The Little Prince’ in Schwytzerd?tsch !!! Isn’t it great? I’d say it was about time (I could have done with something like that when I was trying to learn the Swiss German dialect).