No worries, wordsmiths. You’ve got this, and stay tuned for that second answer. Here’s what you need to know about “collaborate” vs. “corroborate” once and for all:
- To “collaborate” means to work together on something. Kids could collaborate on a poster board project in school. Co-workers could collaborate on a client pitch. You could argue that we all try to collaborate to make the world a better place. (Or we all should, anyhow!)
- To “corroborate” means to confirm or give support to, most commonly with evidence or with known authority. This word does still imply a sense of “togetherness”; however, it’s more along the lines of backing someone or some idea up, rather than a joint effort. Thus, a student might corroborate a friend’s story that their dog did indeed eat the homework (if they were perhaps a witness and/or the witness who dropped his or her peanut butter sandwich on top of the said homework to make this event unfold); a coworker might corroborate the data presented by a peer, verifying the market results to the company board. Perhaps you want to corroborate the idea that getting our words right (and a grip on our grammar) can indeed change the world, because you have hard data that supports my claim.
“Collaborate” vs. “corroborate” is a matter that might make many pause, but these two words aren’t as difficult to understand as you might think.
Regarding their origins, “collaborate” comes from the late Latin word collaboratus, which could further be broken down to its source com-, meaning “with” or “together,” and laborare, meaning to work or labor. To work together. Collaborate. Nice and easy for you.
“Corroborate” comes from the Latin corroboratus, which could be further traced back to com- combined with robur, meaning strength. With strength. Only with strength will whatever is being claimed be trusted, right?
I see you, kids and your dogs who eat your homework. Is this the oldest trick in the book? Maybe. I would need someone to corroborate that.
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