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[upthera44.livejournal.com]

What are the differences between "более-менее" and "более или менее"? I've heard and seen both in conversation and writing. Are they interchangable? Is one more uneducated sounding? Is one conversation and the other better for writing?

Also there seem to be a number of ways to say "sometimes, occasionally, from time to time" in Russian. These are the ones that I tend to use
порой 
иногда 
время от времени

Are they all fairly interchangable or would some of them sound strange in conversation? Are there any other interesting differences? 

Comments

[burevestnitsa.livejournal.com]

I would use "более-менее" and "более или менее" in the following context:

- Как дела? (How are you?)
- Более-менее. (So-so.)
It means that nothing special doesn't happen but life could be better.

- Это тебе подходит? (Does it suit you?)
- Более или менее. (More or less.)
It means that generally you're satisfied but better option could be.

Regarding the second question: "иногда" is more common in everyday conversations, "порой" is more bookish. I would say that "время от времени" is somewhere between "иногда" and "порой" :-)

Hope it helps.

[andrey-bessonov.livejournal.com]

"более-менее" is colloquial, "более или менее" more educated

"иногда" is the neutral word

"время от времени": I feel that this means "a bit more rarely than иногда". "иногда" is more routine
"порой" is a bit bookish but you still can use it, especially in "Порой мне кажется, что...". You can also use "иногда" in this phrase, but not "время от времени".

[tlkh.livejournal.com]

As for me, "более-менее" and "более или менее" are absolutely interchangeable, and can replace each other in absolutely all sentences.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

They are not. Более-менее is colloquial, while более или менее is stylistically neutral. You can write in a business paper, "результаты представляются нам более или менее прогнозируемыми" (the results appear to be more or less predictable), but you cannot use более-менее in this context without sounding ridiculous.

[tlkh.livejournal.com]

Ok, agreed

[tlkh.livejournal.com]

From the first sight, you are right, "время от времени" implies repetitions.
But after thinking about it, all these phrases are surprisingly interchangable.
"Время от времени оно падает" -> "Иногда оно падает".
"Иногда я сомневаюсь" -> "Время от времени я сомневаюсь".
This replaceability means that all these phrases mean both "something done/taking place regularly, on a regular basis BUT at irregular intervals" and "something seen as erratic, happening by chance".

[thumm.livejournal.com]

In my opinion,
"более-менее" sounds more colloquial, "более или менее" is more bookish. Otherwise they are completely interchangeable, apart from the single case mentioned by burevestnitsa:
as an answer to "Как дела?" you say "Более-менее" (I would say its meaning is more like "more or less Ok", then "So-so")

Concerning the second question:
a) all three are used, though "порой" has a slight vintage overtone.
b) "время от времени", at least in my own usage, implies if not exactly the periodicity of the event, but at least that you can definitely name at least a couple of occasions when the event actually happened, "иногда" can be used even if you now of only single event but are fairly sure that it should (or at least may) happen again... Something like that. The general feeling is that "иногда" has somewhat wider meaning then "время от времени".

[tlkh.livejournal.com]

Why one cannot answer "более или менее" to "как дела?"

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

One can, if one counts on the effect of sounding refined, literate and even bookish.

[tlkh.livejournal.com]

I think you exaggerate

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Only a tiny fraction of a bit.

[thumm.livejournal.com]

Well, one can. But there is definitely contrast between rather colloquial question "Как дела?", and bookish "Более или менее".
If I hear somebody answering like that (and I mean pronouncing all the vowels in this endless series "..ЕЕ ИЛИ..", I'd definitely think of this person as a nerd. Anyway, of course there are situations when one wants to present himself as a nerd...

[freedomcry.livejournal.com]

I've always had it that "более-менее" is a slurring of "более или менее" and should never be written like that (i.e. with a hyphen).