What is the difference between forgetting and not remembering?

Answer 1

Not remembering is explicit. Forgetting is implicit.

Not remembering can be self-created...you can MAKE yourself not remember. However, forgetting is usually due to external factors...being in a hurry, ect...and you usually have no control over it.

Great question :-) :-) :-)

Answer 2

Sometimes there's a difference, sometimes there's not. This is one of those questions people ask because they're confused about language usage.

If when leaving my house I keep "forgetting" my keys, someone may describe the same thing, chiding me for "not remembering" to bring my keys with me.

That's an example of the words having basically the same usage.

Suppose I don't like someone and I'm going to try "forgetting" that they exist. I wouldn't use the term "not remembering" to describe that. It produces a different shade of meaning.

If something is trivial, you can say "forget it." But people will look at you funny if you say, "don't remember it."

The difference in usage between the terms "forgetting" and "not remembering" arises partly because "forget" has a positive context, and "not remember" is in a negative context, that is, absence of something.

If you want to know the difference, just find as many ways you can use one term where the other wouldn't fit. Most of them are idiomatic since the terms are so synonymous. It's the difference between those idiomatic usages that gave rise to your question.

Answer 3

If I forgot something, that means I had known but just didn't think of it. If you ask me about it, I do remember at that time.

If I do not remember something, that means that nowhere in my brain is there any awareness of it, If you ask me about it, I do not remember it.

People DO sometimes use these both the same way, but as so often happens, they are using the expressions without really understanding exactly what they mean. The neatest thing about words is that if you take the time to really understand exactly what a word or a phrase intends to mean, you can find just the "Perfect" way to say what you mean.

Kudos to you for thinking about it and realizing that there is a difference.

Answer 4

There is a different meaning of the word forgetting and not remembering but the concept is the same ,forgetting,>.>to lose facts,knowledge from mind or fail to do things because of carelessness.. Or neglect to do something unintentionaly Not remembering >> Not to come to mind again, or was not able to recall an event ..or bear something in mind......

Answer 5

Not remembering is when something didn't register in your brain period- Like if the doctor tells you take 2 pills every 6 hours, forgetting is when you KNOW you are supposed to do it but something distracted you and later you realize that you forgot. BUT if you never take the pills because you do not recall the doctor ever mentioning it, then you are not remembering.

Answer 6

Forgetting would be like if something were in your mind and then it went away. Like forgetting to water your plants. At one time you were thinking about watering the plants and it never came back up again.
Not remembering would be trying to recall something and it not coming forth in your mind. At one point in time you knew something and it's in your mind somewhere, but you are not remembering what it is.
If you don't over-analyze things then they can be considered the same thing.

Answer 7

When I forget something it's usually a task or something important to a specific outcome...usually when I don't remember something it's to do with the past...memories, faces, names and such....so I guess I think of forgetting as the present tense and not remembering as the past tense...of course this is just my opinion

Answer 8

If you don't remember then it's a good chance it didn't happen that exact way you were told or it just didnt happen
but if you forgot then most likely it happened but it was misplaced from your memory for a period of time.

Memories are past events that can easily be replaced changed, lost even falsly altered by the person, simiply because someone may force themself to remember differently. memories are unreliable

Answer 9

example:

Not remembering: you wore a blue dress yesterday, but I do not remember anything about it. I did see you in a blue dress but it was not a point of topic and no direct mention to it during the day.

Forgetting: You told me your phone number but I forgot it.
A piece of information was exchanged and the information was forgotten.

Answer 10

Forgetting is part of Forgiving and Voluntary.
Not Remembering is Voluntary without Emotion.
Or, it could be an actual disease.