Hello!
In the sentences:
I think you have re-posted this question.
Well, both ‘journey’ and ‘travel’ mean the distance traversed from one place to another. Though both are normally interchangeable, a travel is a long journey while a journey is a short travel. And that is the long and the short of it.
I believe I haven’t confused you.
Hello, T_H_Lawrence!
I beg to differ *on a certain point: we never say ‘a travel’,for travel is a non-count noun.
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Thanks.
P.S.: *How to say this phrase in order to sound more correct?
To me, “travel” does not work for either 1. or 2.
Maybe “How far do you have to travel to school?”
It is true that you can’t really say “a travel”, but “travels” is fine. “Where have your travels taken you?”
What about ‘Gulliver’s Travels’? I think both ‘travel’ and ‘journey’ are pluralizable.
Am I mistaken? Is the difference the other way round? Nevertheless, it’s a good question, I’d say. We may receive other comments later.
(Luschen, I don’t think it is true that the school should always be so close that it does not necessitate travelling a long distance)
To me it has nothing to do with distance, just talking about “a travel” sounds odd. To me, “travel” as a noun means the act of traveling, not a journey or a distance, though “travels” does mean journeys. This online dictionary seems to back me up:
My lexicon (ALDCE by ELBS & OUP) says thus:
Journey = n. (distance travelled in) going to a place, esp. a distant place, usually on land. v.i. travel; make a journey.
Travel = v.i. & t. make (esp. long) journeys. n. 3. i[/i] journeys, esp. abroad.
(In fact, the words ‘distant’ and ‘long’ are a little too confusing)
But in Merriam-Webster I find this:
2. travel - noun: the act or activity of traveling
travels : trips or journeys to distant places
I think we need to sort this word ‘travel’ out. Let me attempt to do just that:
As a verb - I travel to work by bus/by car/by traiin.
As an abstract noun- Travel broadens the mind.
As an adjective - Let’s listen to the latest travel news/report before we leave home.
In the plural - Often used to describe journeys to different countries /places in book
titles - The novel written by Graham Greene -
Travels with my Aunt (also made into a play).
Yes, you are right. It is normally uncountable and we do not talk about ‘a travel’ in any case.
My interests are music and travel.
The plural [i]travels[/i] is sometimes used; it suggests a rather grand programme of travelling or exploration.
He wrote a wonderful book about his travels in the Himalayas.
Also, a few uncountable nouns have plural uses in fixed expressions.
He goes running [b]in all weathers[/b].
Did you meet anybody excitng [b]on your travels[/b]?
[b]Gulliver's Travels[/b] (as you mentioned above)
Thanks.
Thank you, Foreigner, for the meaningful discussion.