expertise vs knowledge vs know-how

English translation: expert/state or fact of knowing/procedural knowledge

13:08 Aug 24, 2005

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Linguistics

English term or phrase: expertise vs knowledge vs know-how

What's the difference among "expertise", "knowledge" and "know-how"? (Field: Linguistics)

Caterina Rebecchi KudoZ activity Questions: 322 (none open) (29 closed without grading) Answers: 419 Italy
Local time: 17:05

Selected answer:expert/state or fact of knowing/procedural knowledge

Explanation:
www.answers.com
expertise
knowledge
know-how

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2005-08-24 13:28:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Caterina: answers.com is a very good resource for definitions and linguistics, as well as general learning
http://www.answers.com/expertise
http://www.answers.com/knowledge
http://www.answers.com/know-how

Selected response from:

marybro
Local time: 11:05

Grading comment

Thanks to everybody!! Thank you Mary!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +7

expert/state or fact of knowing/procedural knowledge

marybro

4 +2

Expertise - highest level

Kurt Porter

4 +1

expertise has a practical element

Armorel Young

not for grading

RHELLER

You know what you're doing / You're familiar with

zaphod

Expert, having knowledge of, and knowing how to do something

Michael Fratus

Answers

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Expertise - highest level

Explanation:
You can be knowledgeable about a subject and be far from being an expert in the subject.

know-how is the technical expression for knowledge

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2005-08-24 13:21:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

duh...how about, "you can be knowledgeable about a subject and not be an expert in it."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2005-08-24 13:25:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Expertise - the level of knowledge and experience demonstrated by people who are typically categorized as either novice, experienced, or expert.

Knowledge - Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of facts, truths or information gained in the form of experience or learning (a posteriori), or through deductive reasoning (a priori). Knowledge is an appreciation of the possession of interconnected details which, in isolation, are of lesser value.

Taken from google links

Kurt Porter
Local time: 20:05
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

17 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

expert/state or fact of knowing/procedural knowledge

marybro
Local time: 11:05
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thanks to everybody!! Thank you Mary!

3 hrs confidence:

not for grading

Explanation:
Know-how means having a skill, usually a "hands-on" skill. For example, knowing how to set a table or hem a skirt is not really considered knowledge (usually reserved for book-related subjects). I wouldn't necessarily call those examples knowledge.

Expertise is an overall judgement of someone's level in one (specific) field. He is lacking in expertise in financial matters (after an interview) or her expertise in software is very high.

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 09:05
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 59

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

expertise has a practical element

Explanation:
This is just a partial comment on your question - to me expertise is rooted in practical skill/knowledge, whereas knowledge per se can be entirely theoretical.

Say you have a rare illness. Your hospital may say they have little knowledge of it - meaning that they simply don't know a great deal about it. Or they may say they have little expertise in dealing with it, which is then a different thing entirely - they may have all the knowledge available from books etc., but they have had little practical experience of treating patients who have the illness.

Armorel Young
Local time: 16:05
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 52

3 hrs confidence:

You know what you're doing / You're familiar with

Explanation:
what you're doing.

Know-How is often substituted for expertise

zaphod
Local time: 17:05
Native speaker of:

English,

French
PRO pts in category: 8

14 hrs confidence:

Expert, having knowledge of, and knowing how to do something

Explanation:
Someone with know-how does indeed know "how" but may not know "why."
Someone with knowledge knows how and why, but is not necessarily well-versed in that area, and may not be able to do what someone with know-how could do.
An expert has both knowledge AND know-how, had done it, and knows why.

That's my take on it.

Michael Fratus
United States
Local time: 10:05
Native speaker of:

English

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

expertise vs knowledge vs know-how

English translation: expert/state or fact of knowing/procedural knowledge

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

expertise vs knowledge vs know-how

English translation: expert/state or fact of knowing/procedural knowledge

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language