[michèle 2]

Hi everyone !

I've done an exercise with one of my students and the sentence was the following :
Because of heavy snow in London, their plane was diverted/ deviated. You had to choose the correct answer.
The answer was : diverted.
I can't see the difference .
Can someone explain why diverted was chosen ?
For me deviated means the same.
Thanks a lot

[susan53]

When the route of a plane/train or anything else which follows an established path is changed we say it is diverted :
The traffic was diverted due to the demonstration. / The plane was diverted to Rome
Divert can also be used to talk about a use of something (usually money) for something other than its normal use :
We need more money for recruitment advertising - we'll have to divert some money from the training budget.
Divert is also used to talk about a change in attention :
I was studying hard for the exam when nmy attention was suddenly diverted by two extra-terrestrials entering the room.

So divert conveys the idea of a change of route or destination.

Deviate, on the other hand, has the idea of a change to something less acceptable or normal, often though not always less morally acceptable, (as in sexual deviation) It's used in the context of changes in belief or behaviour :
In 60 years as a priest he never once deviated from his vows. / He never deviated from his belief that he had been visited by two extra-terrestrials. / We can't do it because it deviates from company policy.

Hope that helps.

[michèle 2]

Thanks a lot, Susan. it's very clear.