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I would also say that when the entries are more factual, reporting just what happened, they are part of a "journal," but when the entries deal with feelings, reactions, reflections and thoughts, it is more characteristic of a "diary." Again, though, the two words are basically equivalent, with the differences between them not being definiitive. Most people associate a diary with a special book that is closed with a padlock to keep your thoughts and feelings private. With both, you can reflect on your day and write about personal. Many newspapers and academic magazines call themselves "journals," for example. Many people think of a journal as a diary but the two are really meant for different things. My own view is that journal has a more "serious" sound. In other words, the differences are not obvious or distincitve even to native speakers. Diaries are a daily log of what you did or what you are going to do and are generally have a more structured format than journals. If you do a Google search you will find many references, for example, to the "diary of Samuel Pepys" or the "diary of Soren Kierkengard." If you put "what are the differences between a journal and a diary" into Google, you will also find many discussions among native speakers wondering about this question.
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Journals usually don’t have dates assigned for pages. Diaries usually have dates assigned for pages one page per day or one page per week. A journal is a personal record where you can pen your thoughts, observations, and experiences, while a diary is a book where you note down important things to keep track of them. Yes, when a young girl writes down her thoughts at the end of the day, it is generally called a "diary," but the word diary is not restrricted to young girls. Difference Between Journal and Diary Definition. The words "journal" and "diary" in many contexts are pretty much the same thing. I am afraid that I do not entirely agree with what has been said.
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