Specialize

1. I specialize in elementary education.
2. I am specialized in elementary education.
3. His store is very specialized in fishing gear.

Is #2 also correct? It is just an adjective usage?

Thanks.

#1 is OK. #2 and #3 are not. You could also say "My specialty is elementary education."

Thanks.

Cambridge Online has this:

specialized, UK USUALLY specialised Show phonetics
adjective
Her job is very specialized (= involves only one limited area).

The word specialized is ok, note how it is used. It is not generally correct to say that you "are/am specialized in (something.)" You could say that you have very specialized skills, or "I specialized in history," which is past tense.

Don't quote me on this ... but in AE as far as the focus of our college education for a teaching career, we usually refer to it as "my major" rather than as a specialiization. In other words, I would say, "My major is elementary education." But once I'm done with college and working in the real world (in reference to #2), I'd probably say, "My specialty is elementary education." Either that or "My focus is elementary education." Although perhaps not grammatically incorrect, "specialize in" is not usually used for topics as open-ended and broad as "elementary education." For example, could you define what you mean by "elementary education" as easily as a doctor or lawyer could define their "speciality."

PS. It's enough to say that "His store specializes in fishing gear." There's no need to say very specialized in.

I googled and found over 1 million listings of "is specialized in."

bmo said:

I googled and found over 1 million listings of "is specialized in."

My point was that it's often difficult to tell when certain broad and open ended subjects such as "elementary education" overlap. They're almost difficult to know where to draw the line. I've ordered books on "intermediate Spanish" only to find out that they contain a lot of the same material that was in the "beginning" Spanish books. So even if I say that my specialty is "cooking" does that give a clue as to what kind of dishes I cook? I don't want to be argumentive or nit picking, but I just like to be sure that I've gotten to the crux of the question that has been asked. So therefore I'm hesitant to respond to an inquiry where it's going to take a google search to back up my response when all the questioner wanted to know was "common usage."

In good faith!

I would say "I am a specialist in..."

Ms Missy said:

Don't quote me on this ... but in AE as far as the focus of our college education for a teaching career, we usually refer to it as "my major" rather than as a specialiization.

This is generally true on the undergraduate level. However, in the graduate level 'specialize' is used quite frequently.

Ms Missy

My point was that it's often difficult to tell when certain broad and open ended subjects such as "elementary education" overlap. They're almost difficult to know where to draw the line. I've ordered books on "intermediate Spanish" only to find out that they contain a lot of the same material that was in the "beginning" Spanish books.

You can specialize in elementary education rather than secondary education or adult education. The degree of difficulty in the materials taught may actually be the same, but you don't teach adults the same way you teach elementary school children or secondary school children. This is where the specialization comes in.

bmo

I googled and found over 1 million listings of "is specialized in."

I have not heard or read "specialize in" used in the passive until just now. I just did the google search myself, and most of those listings are advertisements or marketing pieces. Such pieces often do not adhere to standard English usage.

He specializes in cardiology.
He specialized in cardiology.
He is specialized in cardiology. <-- This sentence is not correct. Think about it logically. The man did the specializing. The specializing was not done to him. Remember, passive voice is used when the subject is the recipient of the action. Example: Active --> George paints with acryllics. Passive --> George is painted with acryllics.
His specialty is cardiology.

The store specializes in fishing gear. <-- While this sentence is technically correct, I would prefer: This is a specialty store for fishing gear. [Perhaps the store focuses on just one kind of fishing gear such as gear for ocean fishing, but it isn't really necessary to be that specific in order to use specialize].
The store is specialized in fishing gear. <-- This sentence is not correct. Once again, the store did the specializing, or rather the owners did. The specializing was not done to the store.

Orange Blossom

It becomes very clear now, thank you all very much.

bmo