My feed
Premium
Please
or
to access all these features

Pedants' corner

"OFF OF". Hideous crime against English language. Discuss.

81 replies

UnquietDad · 04/03/2008 10:37

That's it really.

OP posts:
Report
jura · 04/03/2008 10:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

UnquietDad · 04/03/2008 10:39

Well, yes!

OP posts:
Report
IdrisTheDragon · 04/03/2008 10:40

"Off of" is a hideous crime against English language. It makes me cringe.

"Off of from" is also worse.

Report
jura · 04/03/2008 10:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fryalot · 04/03/2008 10:49

what's to discuss?

You're absolutely right. Tis hideous and should never, ever be used.

Report
wordgirl · 04/03/2008 10:50

Do people actually say "off of from"?

Report
KerryMum · 04/03/2008 10:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

legalalien · 04/03/2008 10:51

kerry - the "of" part

Report
fryalot · 04/03/2008 10:51

KM - you don't need the 'of'

"Get off the car" is all you need to say. So why add an extra word in there? It doesn't make sense.

Report
KerryMum · 04/03/2008 10:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LardyMardyDaisyBoo · 04/03/2008 10:54

Scott Mills is always referring, on his show, to "that bloke off of Eastenders" or some such. It makes me want to throw my shoes at the radio. Never a great idea when driving , so I just can't bring myself to listen to him any more!

Report
meemar · 04/03/2008 10:55

What about if you say 'Phil off of Eastenders'

Is that allowed?

Report
LardyMardyDaisyBoo · 04/03/2008 10:55

no no no....that would be from

Report
LardyMardyDaisyBoo · 04/03/2008 10:56

bugger, never a good to make a spelling mistake on a pedant's corner thread.....I mean hastily

Report
Mercy · 04/03/2008 10:57

I would say 'Phil in Eastenders'

Report
meemar · 04/03/2008 10:58

Oh, you are all so well spoken

Report
WendyWeber · 04/03/2008 11:01

I also loathe and cringe at "for free" but it's everywhere now so I've given up moaning about it

Report
WendyWeber · 04/03/2008 11:01

Apart from just then, obv

Report
Mercy · 04/03/2008 11:02

hahaha - you should hear me speak in RL, pure Estuary English!

Report
fryalot · 04/03/2008 11:03

I may say "Phil off Eastenders" or "Phil from Eastenders" but I'd probably settle for "that bald tosser who can't act, who's in Eastenders"

Report
Eliza2 · 04/03/2008 11:10

Actually there is a north of England usage of 'off of' which comes from offna--a ?Norse word.

So if you're using 'off of' and you live north of Watford, you're OK.

If you're using it in Sussex, you're not.

Report
IorekByrnison · 04/03/2008 11:19

Eliza2 that is the kind of pedantry I love.

Hoorah for the historically informed pedant.

Report
UnquietDad · 04/03/2008 11:36

It makes me cringe on the Pet Shop Boys' version of "Where The Streets Have No Name/Can't Take My Eyes Off You", when Neil sings "off of you". He's an erudite and educated person and it makes him sound dim.

It's not as if the extra syllable is even needed. It's not in the original.

OP posts:
Report
Blu · 04/03/2008 11:49

I'm from Nottingham where we used to say "gerroff of t'bus"

Guilty as charged - although I have undergone successful rehabilitation.

Report
fryalot · 04/03/2008 11:56
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.