I think that the aversion to the word “basically” you describe in your professors comes down to its differences to “essentially” in semantic range and context usage.

“Basically,” according to Merriam-Webster, means “in fundamental disposition or nature.” To me it carries with it the meaning of roughness, of generalisation, and thus has a meaning close to “I am ignoring some things, but this is good enough,” or put simply, here is the overall picture. I would assume that it has thus developed negative connotations (for the user of the word, not the referent) in an intellectually or academic context because it is a word that lacks specificity, precision, and so exposes to some degree poor communication skills.

The etymology of the word “basically” doesn’t help, cognate with “base,” which of course was used to describe something undignified or animalistic. Now the word is used in casual social settings, and this might contribute to the chagrin of your professors, who of course would want formal writing to be different in register to casual parlance.

“Essentially,” in the Merriam-Webster entry for “essential” (sense 1), means “of, relating to, or constituting essence. I rephrase that as “in the most most necessary form that I have identified,” where “necessary form” catches the conditions that must be in order to make something such. What if poetry has no figurative language? Does Bach have harmony? I think that in most cases the word “essentially” actually has precision and specificity. These are only two instances, but I think in most cases, the word “essentially” therefore actually has precision and specificity.

How have derivatives of “essentiellement” been used in philosophy? I can think of its uses in Plato, Hegel, Kant, where its ontological meaning is utilized in Plato, hegel, etc. where their ontological meaning. If your professors inherent this intellectual tradition, and so like the philosophical properties that have accumulated around the word (or are these properties part of the word’s essence) Although “essentially” is

also used in casual conversation, my own experience led me to think that it is less commonplace, and perhaps employed by more highbrow members of society.

What is the difference between simple and complex?

Why are some of the words in a list preferred over others because of the differences of semantics? In formal writing you want the kind of precision that “essentially” can give you. If there is pretentiousness on your professors’s part, I’m guessing this would be to ensure your formal writing isn’t misread as something casual. What is the problem with academic snobbery?

(Here is the original opening paragraph I wrote, but I realised it was quite convoluted and I ended up losing myself in it, but it might have some points for consideration.

Clearly both words have a similar meaning, and as you say both try to reduce or explain complexity in the most accessible or fundamental terms. But what is “basically” perhaps too reductive and simplistic, stripping something down to the level where it is less evolved, and so fails to communicate properly what you’re referring to? “Essentially” does not divest, but invests, showing something’s most important properties to exist. “Basically” is reductionism, “essentially” is (perhaps tautologically) essentialism.)

PS I really struggled to not switch from both words as I was writing this! What is your experience and if helps us?

If you haven’t heard of me before now, what is your take on “Alright On Yourself”?