Diary: A daily record, especially a personal record of events, experiences and observations.
Blog: a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.
These are the definitions I’ve found but really I don’t think they pass muster as they give the impression that the main difference between the two is at the technological level. But there’s no reason why a diary should not be a website too.
Here is my take: assuming the same technological platform, we may say that all diaries are blogs (for blogs can be private, too) . Further, a diary is indeed a personal record of events, but we should not confuse personal with intimate or analytical. My grandmother’s diaries, for example, are a faithful account of daily events in her life but with virtually nothing in the way of comment or opinion. We know nothing about what she thinks of the events she records. The same holds true for the diary kept by my mother-in-law. A bit of a letdown for those in search of gossip and scandal but fascinating in a different way. And I don’t think it’s possible to write anything on a fairly regular basis without revealing quite a bit about oneself.
So all diaries (at least in their web incarnation) are blogs, but clearly not all blogs are diaries. My own blog is obviously not a diary. For one thing, it’s far too irregular! So what is it? I don’t know really. It’s a blog, innit!
Good point Barnaby. Interestingly when another BU member learned of my own blog he laughed adding that the whole concept was a bit naff. Somewhere I commented to the contrary but as the author of your blog and its contents is also of the BU his viewpoint is obviously not unanimous.
ReplyDeleteCommunication with others of similar dispostion or with points to make that would not otherwise be heard are other obvious advantages not to mention th erecording of ones own words deeds and thoughts.
Try this blog/diary, it's actually quite interesting.
ReplyDeleteJane Fonda's BlogIn particular, go back a few days and weeks when she's writing between scenes she's starring in on Broadway (New York City).
I think people write blogs for a host of reasons, Jerry. And sometimes we ourselves are not even fully aware of what those reasons are!
ReplyDeleteYes, interesting indeed. The caption to one her photos (of the cast in Broadway) refers to Colin Hanks. Is that Tom Hanks's son? Also, he doesn't seem to be in the picture!
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