nationally speaking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "nationally speaking" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "nationally speaking" which is used to refer to matters or issues that pertain to the entire nation. Example: "Nationally speaking, the economy has shown signs of recovery over the past year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Nationally speaking, Anderson remains an Obama man for now.

The New Yorker

Instead, Gelman persuasively argues, the poor in both red states and blue still mostly vote Democratic, and the rich, nationally speaking, overwhelmingly vote Republican.

The New Yorker

Trump, whose bona fides as a leader were established, nationally speaking, by his leading role on "The Apprentice," is accustomed more to a cast than to a staff.

The New Yorker

Now the resettlement director for the "VietTexas" program in his I5‐county diocese, Father Manger is still shocked that, nationally speaking, the church has done so little for the Vietnamese.

The New York Times

Nationally speaking, Anderson remains an Obama man — for now.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I try to get people to understand the problem by speaking nationally and internationally.

Stanford University

He traveled nationally and internationally, speaking to community groups, political rallies, shareholder meetings and government agencies, usually wearing his trademark baseball cap and T-shirt with the motto "Love them or leave them, just don't destroy them".

The New York Times

Diego Rivera, Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros may be the most famous muralists, both nationally and internationally speaking, but some of their influencees, such as Frida Kahlo, José Vasconcelos, Nahui Olin, went on to branch out immensely, in differently fields (painting, education and an artist, respectably).

The Guardian

The mayor had been speaking nationally about post-partisan solutions, and, days before the announcement, Time magazine put Mr. Bloomberg and Governor Schwarzenegger on the cover with the headline, "Who Needs Washington?" Mr. Sheekey was an early enthusiast about the cover, said Time's managing editor, Richard Stengel.

The New York Times

"I will be involved in a number of different areas, whether it's individual campaigns or just speaking nationally.

Huffington Post

His bread and butter is selling slate roofing tools, but he also spends a lot of time hosting human composting workshops and speaking nationally and worldwide.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and formality, opt for phrases like "on a national scale" or "from a national perspective" instead of "nationally speaking". This ensures more precise and grammatically accepted communication.

Common error

Avoid using "nationally speaking" in formal writing. While it might seem conversational, it can detract from the professionalism and credibility of your text. Choose more formal alternatives.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nationally speaking" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a statement to indicate that it is true or applicable from a national viewpoint. However, according to Ludwig AI, the phrase is not considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "nationally speaking" aims to convey a country-wide perspective, it is deemed grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI and is therefore not recommended for formal use. According to Ludwig, better alternatives include "on a national scale" or "from a national perspective", which offer enhanced clarity and grammatical correctness. The phrase is predominantly found in news contexts, but its infrequency and grammatical concerns suggest avoiding it in professional and academic settings. Thus, opting for more formal alternatives will result in clearer and more effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on a national scale

Replaces the adverb "nationally" with a prepositional phrase emphasizing the scope of the assessment.

from a national perspective

Substitutes the adverb with a prepositional phrase highlighting a particular viewpoint.

at the national level

Uses "level" instead of "speaking" emphasizing the administrative scope.

across the nation

Focuses on geographic distribution rather than a viewpoint.

countrywide

Replaces the two-word phrase with a single adjective, changing the structure but keeping the essence.

nationally

Removes "speaking" making it a simpler and more direct adverb.

in the whole country

Uses simpler language to convey the same meaning.

on a country-wide basis

Adds "basis" to indicate a general comparison or average.

in national terms

Emphasizes the specific terms or metrics being used for the nation.

by national standards

Highlights comparison with established national criteria or benchmarks.

FAQs

What does "nationally speaking" mean?

The phrase "nationally speaking" is intended to convey a perspective or generality about a country as a whole. However, it's not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. It's better to use alternatives like "on a national scale" or "from a national perspective".

Is "nationally speaking" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, "nationally speaking" is not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. More formal and accepted alternatives should be preferred.

What can I say instead of "nationally speaking"?

You can use alternatives like "on a national scale", "from a national perspective", or "at the national level" depending on the context.

When should I avoid using "nationally speaking"?

Avoid using "nationally speaking" in formal writing, academic papers, or professional communications. It's more appropriate for informal conversations but using more formal alternatives enhances the clarity and credibility of your writing in professional settings.