| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sal[Au]pian |
Posted - 01/21/2008 : 16:09:11
I already knew that it was exercise, but have just found out that it is advertise too. How come? (This is in fact not just an American spelling issue, as all -ize forms in American usage are also correct in British English, but it's interesting that American English is forced to use -ise when there is no -ize.) It seems natural that surprise would not count as a normal -ise/-ize word, but I find exercise and especially advertise surprising. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Whippersnapper. |
Posted - 02/20/2008 : 00:05:05
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
 I'm pretty sure they still call it dishwashing liquid. They don't say "do the washing up" - they say "do the dishes."
Edited before Whipper could make a joke.
You rotten spoilsport. 
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| randall |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 23:12:36
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
I'm pretty sure they still call it dishwashing liquid. They don't say "do the washing up" - they say "do the dishes."
Yep. But we don't call it "dishwashing liquid" any more, because we've finally graduated from Fifties advertising suggestions. BUY PRELL |
| MguyXXVI |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 18:41:21
or even "soap". |
| Cheese_Ed |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 18:11:40
or even just dish soap. |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 15:11:07
I'm pretty sure they still call it dishwashing liquid. They don't say "do the washing up" - they say "do the dishes."
Edited before Whipper could make a joke.
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| Sal[Au]pian |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 14:39:39
Do Americans say "washing-up liquid" or something else? Thanks. |
| Wheelz |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 18:50:39
Well put, lemmy. We were never actually in the door to begin with. |
| lemmycaution |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 18:45:34
We do walk out of a room, but we walk out of a room by way of a door just as we fall out of a room by way of a window. Therein lies the difference, I believe. |
| Wheelz |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 18:07:14
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
I'm not sure it's really the case that prepositions are being dropped over time. People tend to assume that language gets abbreviated over time, but it's not really the case - some forms are shortened while others are lengthened.
Of course, on this website, everything is shortened. 
quote:
I had no idea that there were some contexts where Americans would more likely use "out of", so thanks for that. I think we'll therefore keep it in this book.
Actually, "out the door" and "out the window" are the only instances I can think of where we'd commonly leave out the of. Otherwise, out of is standard. |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 18:01:10
Ah - but the phrase 'out the window' [or 'oot the windae'] is a very old one in Scotland. Dunno the exact etymology, but it not only features in literature, but is incorporated in a mild insult: "your arse is out the window."
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| Sal[Au]pian |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 17:34:39
By "wrong", in some cases it would just sound Americanised, or jargonistic. Thus in a metaphorical usage "such and such has gone out the window now" doesn't sound as bad as "John jumped out the window". |
| Sal[Au]pian |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 17:32:10
I'm not sure it's really the case that prepositions are being dropped over time. People tend to assume that language gets abbreviated over time, but it's not really the case - some forms are shortened while others are lengthened.
At any rate, "off of" is always wrong in British English, as is "out the". I had no idea that there were some contexts where Americans would more likely use "out of", so thanks for that. I think we'll therefore keep it in this book. |
| Wheelz |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 17:24:44
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
He's another query. You know how Americans say "out the window"? Is "out of the window" wrong or is that acceptable as a variant. (I am wondering this for use in products to be sold in Britain and America, but which are to have American spelling.)
Interesting question.
My first thought upon reading this was that the second preposition is simply unnecessary; out does a fine job of explaining things on its own. Further. �out the window�, or similarly, �out the door�, just sounds right to my ears. (I didn�t realize this was an American thing.)
�I walked out the door� sounds fine to me. �I walked out of the door� sounds clunky.
But then I realized that we do indeed use of with out in most other circumstances. �I walked out of the room.� or �Grandma fell out of the airplane.�
Then there�s off, which to me sounds OK with or without of.
"Grandma fell off the train." "Grandma fell off of the train." Neither of these usages sounds wrong to me; though I�d lean toward the first example, as the word of doesn�t add anything to the sentence or change the meaning in any way.
In fact, there are certain regional and cultural American dialects in which one would say �Grandma fell out the plane.� Surely you�d know exactly what the speaker means here.
My overall take here is that as the language evolves, we�re gradually discarding these preposition combinations in favor of word economy. Why use two words when one will do? Another example of this is into, which is a relatively recent invention to replace the previous in to.
Of course you do see strings of three prepositions sometimes too: �Grandma stepped in front of the train.� I don�t really care to get into that. 
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| Sal[Au]pian |
Posted - 01/30/2008 : 10:32:03
Thanks for all those links etc.
He's another query. You know how Americans say "out the window"? Is "out of the window" wrong or is that acceptable as a variant? (I am wondering this for use in products to be sold in Britain and America, but which are to have American spelling.) |
| Wheelz |
Posted - 01/25/2008 : 23:47:41
Didn't know you spent time around my 'hood, turrell...
I've lived in and around the Windy City my whole life. What's your story? |
