Hello. Please help me with the use of the word "judge". The dictionary defines one of its meaning as "to criticize", but somehow I feel it does not suit the following contex or am I wrong?
"The Russian parliament yesterday adopted an anti- law. The EU has already judged (?) this law because the West sees it as a violation of human rights" .
I think the proper word is "criticized" or "condemned", but do you thik it's possible to use "judge" in the context (to my mind, it doesn't sound natural, but I may be wrong. Please help me.).
Thank you very much for your help.
I would not use "judged" in there. Use "condemned" instead.
To judge is to evaluate, with no negative or positive connotations beforehand.
To evaluate critically, same thing.
To criticize, carries an implicit negative presumption.
In the case that you cite the violation of rights is obviously unfair and negative.
The use of judged alone is still incomplete.. "judged to be a violation of human rights" .....
The members of the EU have roundly criticized....
Condemnation is an official action, arrived at by a vote, has the EU taken a vote on the matter?
Hello! In the given context, using the word "judge" might not be the best choice because it can imply a more formal or official assessment. However, language is flexible, and sometimes words can be used in different ways depending on the context and the intended meaning.
In this case, using "condemned" or "criticized" would be more appropriate and commonly used options. These words convey the notion of expressing disapproval or strong disagreement towards the anti- law. Additionally, you could consider using words like "denounced" or "opposed" to convey a similar meaning.
If you want to emphasize a judgment or evaluation of the law, you could rephrase your sentence to something like:
"The EU has already made a judgment on this law because the West sees it as a violation of human rights."
Overall, it's important to consider the connotation and the usual usage of words to ensure clear and effective communication.