what's the difference between objective and subjective

I had an idea to write an article discussing the difference between flexible and inflexible language rules, and when it matters to be precise or not. This is a broad and nuanced topic, which veers into matters of opinion, and I realised first it would be more useful to define some important language relating to it: what does it mean to be objective or subjective?

Objective and subjective are adjectives that are antonyms, two words with opposite meanings, essentially respectively relating to whether something is based on fact/evidence or opinion. These are important terms in general that seem more relevant today than ever, as fact and opinion get blurred and manipulated in mass media. They are also two terms that get confused by native speakers, so it’s worth discussing which is which, and how you might remember the difference.

What does objective mean?

Objective, in relation to perspectives, information, ideas and opinions, describes something that is verifiable, provable or evidence-based. In simple terms, it is something that is neutrally and unarguably true. It is based on real, object-based ideas that are not influenced by perspective or opinion.

What does subjective mean?

Subjective, for an opposite meaning, describes something that is taken from a particular point of view or perspective. It may be opinion-based or influenced by the observer. In simplest terms, subjective is a stance that depends on how it is viewed.

Objective and Subjective in Use

To illustrate the difference, here are some example statements:

My car has four wheels. (objective, this is easily countable)
My car is cool. (subjective, this is a matter of opinion)
Our team are going to win the game. (subjective, unconfirmed)
Our team won the game. (objective, it is complete fact)

And here are two examples of how an “objective decision” might be used accurately or inaccurately:

We checked 15 different waters and made an objective decision to buy the one with the lowest level of sodium. (accurate; this decision is based on numerical data, so is not opinion-based)
We watched all the debates and made an objective decision to vote for Jim. (inaccurate; as this involves a decision based on forming an opinion, it remains subjective)

How to remember the difference?

Both words have roots in metaphysical philosophy, making their origins a little abstract to many people, but I think for language learners a familiarity with subjects and objects helps explain the terms. This is open a bit to interpretation, not exactly a dictionary definition, but is a grammar-based (subjective!) idea I have for clarifying the difference:

Subjective clearly relates to the subject, that is the doer, the focal point of any sentence. The subject of a sentence can change, and necessarily generates change, thus when you think of something being subjective, you may also consider that it depends on who/what the subject is. The choice of subject decides the point of view or perspective, and thus subjective ideas are flexible/changeable.

Objective relates to an object, something that is definable and is not open to interpretation. We use object here as something real and fixed. If the subject is always doing something, undergoing some kind of action, the object is (at least grammatically) not moving and unchanging. It might be affected as a result of the actions, but an object does not present its own perspective – indeed it cannot, for a sentence to make sense.

Subjective and Objective Language Rules

I’d like to expand on this topic as it relates to English language in a broader article later, but briefly, these differences are worth keeping in mind whenever learning something new, or when you are correcting or being corrected. Language is a flexible thing, so the way we communicate, and what effective communication is, is necessarily, for the most part, subjective. It can adapt depending on where you are, who you are talking to and both how and what you want to convey.

However, to communicate we must also have agreed boundaries and common ground that will make sense as universally as possible. This means certain elements of language may arguably be seen as objectively true rules, or as close as can be possible, while others are subjective. There’s a sliding scale for this, but for example conjugation and spelling rules are necessarily mostly objective (though variations emerge) so we can immediately understand the meaning of specific words. Some punctuation rules can appear objectively understood, where their use is clear and their misuse will create confusion (for example, a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark clearly tells us a sentence is complete), while others may be subjective, where different styles can either convey the same thing (such as using either single or double quotation marks) or might deliberately create subtly different effects. Some uses of the aspects of the tenses, meanwhile, may be objectively understood (the past simple showing a complete past action) while others may be subjective (using the present continuous for a state or feeling).

I’ll revisit this with more detail soon, I hope, but in short it’s something to be aware of and vigilant over! In the meantime, I hope this introduction has helped present and clarify these two very useful words, objective and subjective!