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I'm wondering which one would be the correct way to use こらえる in a sentence,
and - if both are, is there perhaps any difference in meaning?

Two examples I had in mind are:

> 涙をこらえて、話していた。
>
> 涙をこらえながら、話していた。
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2017-02-25T13:23:48.403
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2017-02-26T19:43:28.443
2017-02-26T11:26:52.010
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question
grammar usage
Usage of こらえる　【堪える】
Both are OK. One example of each, both talking about death of a loved one.

  * [涙をこらえて、話していた。](http://blog.goo.ne.jp/emp007062/e/88376ca544c078c4953dbc0c0e75fa1d) (a beloved rabbit)
  * [涙をこらえながら、話していた。](http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/12078868/) (a beloved brother)

Update in response to comment:

  * Question 1) "which would be ... correct ...?" 

    * Answer 1) They are both correct (as shown by examples) 
  * Question 2) "any difference in meaning?" 

    * Answer 2) The closest answer is no. But do people choose slightly more flowery language when they want to transmit dramatic emotion? Yes. So for an expression like "涙をこらえ～" when talking about death of a loved one, it is not surprising to find "ながら" often used. Conversely, the of use "て" to talk about the death of the rabbit _might_ have been intentional on the part of the nursery school teacher, deliberately downplaying the seriousness. Human languages can carry imprecise fuzzy emotional information. Therefore the interpretation must also be fuzzy.
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2017-02-26T06:16:23.887
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2017-02-26T19:43:28.443
2017-02-26T19:43:28.443
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answer