Which is used more / is more natural in speech? 突然 or どっと?


As far as the translation of the word 'suddenly' my dictionary has these two^.
Are they any different or is one more common than the other? ありがとう




突然 is more _common_ , because its meaning is broader than that of どっと.  
突然 is just "suddenly." どっと does have meaning of suddenness, but **usage of どっと
is limited to those 3 situation** , according to [Digital
Daijirin](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/159419/meaning/m0u/).

>   1. Lots of people letting out their voice at the same time.
>   2. Lots of people / things coming at one time.
>   3. Becoming (seriously) ill in a short time.
>

We use どっと like this:

>   1. 観客{かんきゃく}が **どっと** 笑{わら}いだす (The audience **bursts into laughter** )
>   2. 人々が **どっと** 押{お}し寄{よ}せる (The crowd **surges forward** )
>   3. **どっと** 病{やまい}が重{おも}くなる ( **Become seriously ill suddenly**.) (sentence
> from the reference)
>

All of which can be also said, using 突然 instead of どっと:

>   1. 観客が **突然** 笑いだす
>   2. 人々が **突然** 押し寄せる
>   3. **突然** 病が重くなる
>

But, this is **not true for the converse**. Saying:

> **[x]** パソコンがどっと壊{こわ}れる

instead of パソコンが突然壊れる (the PC suddenly breaks down) is weird.

* * *

~~I think どっと came from manga - under those 3 situation, I see onomatopoeias
"どっ" "ドッ" being used. どっ+と(`particle` indicating how an action is done.) ~~

snaliboat pointed out that どっと being used way back in 1220s. In 金刀比羅本保元,
there's a sentence that goes:

> 西の河原に時をどっと作ること三ヶ度なり

So どっと existed from the past. I'm figuring out what this means, though.




突然 is more _common_ , because its meaning is broader than that of どっと.  
突然 is just "suddenly." どっと does have meaning of suddenness, but **usage of どっと
is limited to those 3 situation** , according to [Digital
Daijirin](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/159419/meaning/m0u/).

>   1. Lots of people letting out their voice at the same time.
>   2. Lots of people / things coming at one time.
>   3. Becoming (seriously) ill in a short time.
>

We use どっと like this:

>   1. 観客{かんきゃく}が **どっと** 笑{わら}いだす (The audience **bursts into laughter** )
>   2. 人々が **どっと** 押{お}し寄{よ}せる (The crowd **surges forward** )
>   3. **どっと** 病{やまい}が重{おも}くなる ( **Become seriously ill suddenly**.) (sentence
> from the reference)
>

All of which can be also said, using 突然 instead of どっと:

>   1. 観客が **突然** 笑いだす
>   2. 人々が **突然** 押し寄せる
>   3. **突然** 病が重くなる
>

But, this is **not true for the converse**. Saying:

> **[x]** パソコンがどっと壊{こわ}れる

instead of パソコンが突然壊れる (the PC suddenly breaks down) is weird.

* * *

~~I think どっと came from manga - under those 3 situation, I see onomatopoeias
"どっ" "ドッ" being used. どっ+と(`particle` indicating how an action is done.) ~~

snaliboat pointed out that どっと being used way back in 1220s. In 金刀比羅本保元,
there's a sentence that goes:

> 西の河原に時をどっと作ること三ヶ度なり

So どっと existed from the past. I'm figuring out what this means, though.

