to be wonder why people say 'in regards to'

[Finallyspring]

1. It's not correct: should be 'regarding' or 'in regard to'
   
2. It's like something out of a 1950s business letter. It doesn't sound clever or more formal. Nobody has ever SPOKEN like that. Just sounds really odd.
   

Use 'about' instead
eg. I'm worried ABOUT my MIL

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Or even having ...

[BecauseImWorthIt]

I'm loving the idea of have a Police Officer's Corner

But I was making a serious point. Why did you post this in AIBU? There's so much of this happening recently and I don't understand why people do it.

[ZZZenAgain]

I don't understand. You object to what you see as an incorrectly written phrase or you object to the use of the phrase anyway - as inappropriate for an internet forum?

I think YABU either way

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

I like false etymologies.

[OTheHugeManatee]

It's probably because the Latin in re meaning 'in the matter of' used to be in common usage, and people have assumed it's short for 'in regards to'.

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

I read your OP as a query rather than laying down the law ... that's why I said 'someone else may know', btw.

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to be rude!

Thanks for explaining.

[Finallyspring]

I do know about this stuff (certificates on request)

There really aren't fixed rules about prepositions when used in collocations. It's just what usually goes together with what, what there's no REASON for it.

Prepositions of place, direction etc. are different.

Really am going off now. Bye

[kaid100]

I think it's fine in something formal like a letter, but it would sound odd if a mate said it. People say things with different levels of formality depending on who they are talking to and where they are (compare talking to a doctor in a surgery, and talking to your mate about the same thing round her house, for example).

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

finally - not a grammarian, but as far as I know prepositions are governed by arcane rules from Latin (which has cases, so propositions are included with nouns). I think it's nuts, but it's not random I think. Maybe someone else will know?

I should be in pedants' corner.

[Finallyspring]

Of course 'about' is too casual for a business letter. I'm talking about MN posts in which people saying 'in regards to' or any other variation on that word. It's wrong because it's too formal.

'with regard to' is more commonly used in Brtish English 'in regard to' in American English.

LRD this isn't to do with grammar but collocation. That is, some prepositions go together with some other words for no good reason, just common usage. This usuage can and does change all the time. I'm actually not a pedant because I have no problem with language changing. If lots of people start using 'in regards to' then that is what will be 'correct'; that's how language works.

My main issue is when someone uses a phrase randomly because it sounds more serious, when the situation doesn't demand serious vocabulary.

Anyway, I'll off to pedants corner now. becausei'mworthit can go back to Police Officers' Corner

[TheSmallPrint]

I use 'with regard to' in business letters such as 'with regard to our telephone conversation yesterday...' writing 'about our telephone conversation yesterday' sounds very casual and probably not appropriate if if is a business letter. Or maybe I'm wrong.

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

Though, 'with consideration to' is incorrect and makes my teeth itch.

[SortingHardHat]

Shussh. Just accept that it's the way of the world and be done with it :o

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

Well, exactly! 'In consideration' is fine.

I think 'in regards' is correct, just not idiomatic.

[TheLadyEvenstar]

too much for Monday morning after a hectic weekend.....is it bedtime yet?

[SortingHardHat]

Regards in this context means consideration to or reference to.

So with consideration to your post

or

With reference to your post

not

In reference or In consideration (althoug the latter does seem to work)

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

Grammatically, what's wrong with 'in regards to', btw? I know what all the words mean, I just don't see the error. You can say 'in sight of' as well s 'with sight of', so I'm guessing it should be ok?

[SortingHardHat]

With regards your post I agree, because it's WITH not IN. :o

[LRDTheFeministNutcase]

Yes, 'with regards to', or 'with reference to', which I think is better.

'About' doesn't mean the same thing, though!

[Pagwatch]

Is Jeff your mil?
Is that why you are worried?
What does "to be wonder" mean?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

YABU to post this in AIBU. There are other places than here and _Chat you know. Why not try Pedants' Corner?

[Finallyspring]

I care because I am a nitpicking pedant trying to kill time.

Also, it annoys me when I'm scrolling through AIBU/chat looking for something light and chatty and somebody's gone and used the phrase as if they are in some shiney suited business situation. It's too formal, it's very dated and there are plenty of other ways to say the same thing.

[Tchootnika]

BakeLite, why on earth are you asking?

[BakeliteBelle]

OMG, why on earth do you care?