journal
B1Formal, Academic, Business
Definition
Meaning
A daily record of news, events, or personal thoughts; a periodical publication containing scholarly articles.
A record of business transactions; a newspaper or magazine; a log of a ship's voyage; in engineering, the part of a rotating shaft or axle that rests on bearings.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term has strong polysemy, spanning from personal writing (diary) to academic publishing to mechanical engineering. The core idea is systematic recording.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. In academia, 'journal' is universally used for scholarly periodicals. The verb form 'to journal' (to keep a personal diary) is slightly more common in American self-help/personal development contexts.
Connotations
Identical across dialects.
Frequency
Equally frequent and core in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
keep/maintain a journal (of)publish in a journalsubmit to a journalan entry in a journaljournal about/onVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The journey is its own journal.”
- “The soul's journal.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a book of original entry in accounting where transactions are first recorded chronologically (e.g., sales journal).
Academic
A regular publication containing peer-reviewed research articles in a specific field (e.g., 'Nature' journal).
Everyday
A personal diary where one writes about daily experiences and feelings.
Technical
In computing, a file system journal records changes before they are committed. In engineering, the part of a shaft in contact with a bearing.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She journals every evening to reflect on her day.
- Many find it therapeutic to journal their worries.
American English
- He's been journaling his fitness journey for six months.
- The therapist suggested she journal about her anxiety.
adverb
British English
- None (not standard).
American English
- None (not standard).
adjective
British English
- Journal bearing (engineering term).
- Journal entry (accounting).
American English
- Journal article submission guidelines.
- Journal club meeting (academic discussion group).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I write in my journal every night.
- We have a maths book and a journal for writing.
- She keeps a travel journal during her holidays.
- The library has many scientific journals.
- The researcher published her findings in a prestigious international journal.
- The accounting department maintains a detailed journal of all transactions.
- The study's methodological flaws led to its rejection by the peer-reviewed journal.
- Metallurgists examined the wear on the crankshaft's journal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of JOURN-al: it's for a JOURN-ey of thoughts, events, or data, recorded day by day.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LIFE/THOUGHT IS A WRITTEN RECORD. TIME/MEMORY IS A BOOK.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'журналом' только как глянцевым или новостным изданием (magazine). 'Journal' в науке — это серьёзный рецензируемый сборник статей.
- В бизнес-контексте 'journal' — это журнал проводок/учётная книга, а не просто блокнот.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'journal' to mean any magazine (e.g., a fashion journal is unusual).
- Confusing 'journal' (periodical) with 'diary' (only personal). 'Diary' is not used for academic publications.
- Incorrect: 'I read it in a science diary.' Correct: '...in a science journal.'
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'journal' NOT typically refer to a publication?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In personal writing contexts, they are synonyms. However, 'journal' is broader, covering academic publications and business records, while 'diary' is almost exclusively personal.
Yes, meaning 'to write in a journal or diary'. It's more common in modern, especially American, usage (e.g., 'to journal one's thoughts').
A magazine is typically a general-interest or popular periodical with articles, adverts, and images. A 'journal' is a specialist, often academic/scholarly publication with formal, peer-reviewed articles and minimal advertising.
In accounting, it's the primary record where all financial transactions are first entered chronologically, before being posted to the general ledger. It's often called the 'book of original entry'.