"Relating to"
* Focuses on the act of connecting or associating: It emphasizes the process of establishing a relationship or finding a connection.
* Usually used in a more active sense: It suggests something actively being connected, like a person reflecting on how something relates to their own experiences.
* Examples:
* "I'm having trouble relating to this character in the book." (The person is trying to connect with the character.)
* "The lecture was about the history of art, relating to the current exhibition." (The lecture made a connection between history and the present.)
"Related to"
* Focuses on the existing connection or association: It describes a relationship that already exists between two things.
* Usually used in a more passive sense: It suggests something is already connected, like a sibling relationship.
* Examples:
* "That book is related to the one I read last month." (The two books have a pre-existing connection.)
* "The research is related to the development of new medicines." (The research is already associated with the field of medicine.)
In summary:
* "Relating to" implies an active process of making connections.
* "Related to" implies an existing connection or association.
Here's a helpful way to think about it:
* "Relating to" is more about the action of connecting.
* "Related to" is more about the state of being connected.