What is the difference between a monument and a memorial?

daddy1161992

Here is a simple example: A grave stone is a monument. A memorial is the inscription on it. Oct 15 05, 7:45 PM

my_baby_love

But... In Washington DC, we have the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Neither men are buried there. Oct 15 05, 8:31 PM

ppreddy1990

Monument commemorates an accomplishment such as a victory in a battle and memorial is in memory(Duh) of fallen heroes. Oct 15 05, 9:03 PM

robboy

I think mbl was laying in the weeds with this one, waiting for someone's 'simple' example. I do believe a monument and memorial could be interchangeable, but for more precise differentiation, a monument is an extension to or object of substance for a memorial. Such as the Washington Monument is memorializing Washington the president, or the Jefferson Memorial being a monument in memorium to president Jefferson. You don't necessarily need a monument for a memorial, but it'd be rare that a monument wouldn't be a memorial of something, or some thing. Oct 15 05, 9:03 PM

JoshCaleb12

... okay... then 2 questions... what "accomplishment" does the Washington Monument commemorate? ... And what about "Great Sand Dunes National Monument?" (It was a monument before becoming a park) Personally, I think the distinction between the two is rather more nebulous than we would like for the purposes of answering this question... Oct 15 05, 9:07 PM

robboy

I don't see accomplishments as a necessary in the equation, but it could be. The Washington Monument obviously memorializes the first president of the United States of America. A National Monument is a finer definition of monument or memorial, in that the choices for that designation are more environmental or politically motivated, but monuments they are anyway to some thing or something. Oct 15 05, 9:27 PM

gmackematix

I largely agree with Robboy here. The word "monument" comes from the Latin "monere" meaning "to remind" and traditionally means a building or a stucture (even if is only a gravestone) erected to remember or commemorate someone or something. The word "memorial" is an object, institution or custom in memory of someone or something and its use is more fluid than monument. However they may be officially named, I would say that all monuments are memorials but not all memorials are monuments except in a metaphorical sense. For example, the Prom concerts, the Nobel Prizes and the blue plaques around Britain are all memorials (to Henry Wood, Alfred Nobel and various famous people respectively), but are not usually described as monuments. In the example given earlier, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are clearly both structures and both commemorative. They are clearly both monuments and memorials. The presence of bodies is irrelevant. Oct 16 05, 4:57 AM

JoshCaleb12

Thanks, Mack... I like your response a whole lot better than mine. *grin* Oct 17 05, 3:08 PM

moose33

the simple answer is the spelling. in effect they both mean the same thing. to remind. Oct 18 05, 10:37 AM

daddy1161992

I guess you guys don't like simple answers. Oct 24 05, 4:23 PM