Common Mistake: “sea” vs. “ocean”
– B2-C1 (intermediate to advanced) –
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If you have travelled and spent much time in Canada and the United States, then you might have noticed that the word “sea” is less commonly used than “ocean” in these countries. It is more likely that a Canadian and American will say “I’ve never seen the ocean” or “I love the ocean” than “I’ve never seen the sea” or “I love the sea.” The reason for this is not necessarily due entirely to the variety of English that they speak but rather the definitions of the words, themselves.
DEFINITIONS
The word “ocean” is standardly defined as:
the large, open body of saltwater that covers the majority of the Earth’s surface; this is divided into sections that connect the continents of the earth and include seas
In North American English, specifically, these five sections are: the Arctic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Let’s take a look at a few of these.
The Atlantic Ocean is bordered by the following continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Antarctica.
Photo courtesy of CIA - CIA World Factbook - Atlantic Ocean, Public Domain, on Wikimedia.org.
The Pacific Ocean is bordered by the following continents: Asia, Oceania, North America, South America, and Antarctica.
Photo courtesy of CIA World Factbook - CIA World Factbook, Public Domain, on Wikimedia.org.
The Arctic Ocean is bordered by the following continents: North America, Europe, and Asia.
Photo courtesy of CIA - CIA World Factbook, Public Domain, on Wikimedia.org.
Regarding the word “sea,” its standard definition is:
a smaller section of an ocean that is partially enclosed by land (e.g. islands, select countries, etc.)
Photo courtesy of O H 237 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, on Wikimedia.org.
As you can see, the Mediterranean Sea is a body of water that belongs to the Atlantic Ocean and because it is enclosed by select countries it is called a “sea.” This remains true for the other seas in this photo, with the exception of the Red Sea, which is a part of the Indian Ocean.
When we look at a map of the world, the coasts of most countries meet a sea. In the context of Canada and the United States, however, these countries are surrounded by three oceans (the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean). While there are few seas along their coasts (Bering Sea, Beaufort Sea, Labrador Sea), these serve areas where there are very small populations of people (Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Labrador, together, make up 4% of the entire population of the North American continent). This means that most English-speaking Canadians and Americans will have an unconscious preference to use “ocean” over “sea” in their speech and writing, as it relates to Canada and the United States. When travelling abroad, however, they will often automatically use the term “sea,” instead, as it pertains to the geography of the region they have travelled to.
Interestingly, the Sargasso Sea, which serves the southeast coast of Canada, the east coast of the United States, as well as the northern side of many Caribbean islands, is an exception to these definitions, as its borders are not defined by land but rather ocean current. Due to this lack of visual clues, the Sargasso Sea is often unconsciously overlooked by English-speaking North Americans and is generalized as just being the Atlantic Ocean.
Photo courtesy of Public Domain on Wikimedia.org.
Now, you might be thinking that this all sounds a bit technical, which, technically speaking, it is. However, what is important to understand here is that while North American English-speakers might not be able to provide you with a clear definition or difference between the words “sea” and “ocean,” they do typically understand the difference subconsciously (due to how their geographic surroundings inform their language). As a result, they are less likely to err using these words interchangeably compared to learners of the English language (this is, of course, not including North Americans’ technically incorrect use of “ocean” specifically in reference to the Sargasso Sea). This means that such a mistake comes across as unnatural in North American English. So, learning the difference between the words “sea” and “ocean” can help a learner improve their North American communication.
Have you ever made this mistake before? Did you know the difference between these words? Let me know in the comments below.
