Parked Up vs Parked

[Zimunya]

Everyone in my office says "parked up" when referring to parking their car. I think the "up" is redundant, as "parked" suffices. But is this one of the English language's many subtle but critical differences? Does anyone know?

Ok, but what about "I parked down by my Mums." (when she lives up a hill)? 😂😂

But you could say “I’ve parked up down the hill”?

To me there is no real difference between “Parked” and “Parked up.” Except I probably wouldn’t write parked up, I would probably only use it verbally.

That's still to do with where you parked, not the parking itself. It's like 'over the road' or 'by the corner'. Parked over and parked by aren't in use as such and neither is parked down. Parked up is different (but not always, as you can be parked up the road or parked up, up the road).

Hmm, so presumably we agree that one can be parked up, down the road? 🤔

You can also wash up, tidy up, clean up and fuck up.
Put on makeup and meet up with friends, down the street.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles exactly. I parked up (or down) the road, that's the location in which I parked the car. I parked up up (or down) the road, that's where I left the car for a while whilst I did something else. You park a car and it's a done deed without any suggestion that anything else happens. Parking up suggests that something else is going on or is about to happen, it's a shift of emphasis. I do think though that there's a time element, I might park to pop into a shop briefly but park up for a dog walk, especially for a long one. That's how it seems to me, anyway!

That's chef speak and used in kitchens all the time.

Damn right, I use it all the time. It's 'F off' this , 'F off' that and they can 'F* off' too.
Right. I'll just take my shirt off and I'll be off myself now.

I think native English speakers add unnecessary prepositions to one-syllable verbs because the rhythm of it is more pleasing to the speaker. The bad thing about it is that it sometimes it hinders communication.
For example, the prepositions in "swap out", "change up", and "pick out" (meaning "choose") add no extra meaning or nuance. They just make life harder for the millions of non-native speakers who are expected to learn English if they want to make a living.

@CoalTit

Pick out has been around a long time. There is a subtle difference in emphasis between pick and pick out I think.

Also, as well as meaning choose, it can mean to recognise or distinguish someone or something from a group.

Similarly, on cookery shows, they don't just fry the onions, they fry off the onions. The 'off' is completely redundant. It doesn't seem to have spread into everyday life. I've never heard 'fry off' in someone's home, just on TV.

Sorry, just noticed someone has already posted about fry off. So not just me to be annoyed about it then!

Like others have said, I would use "parked up" if I was still in the car eg. if you're picking DC up from work "I've just parked up round the corner"

People can say they have parked 'up the road' or 'down the road' to describe where they left their car, but what I meant was that people say they 'parked up' instead of 'parked', but they don't say they 'parked down'.

I thought I was parked up overnight but parked to go in the shop?

They do add extra meaning, as explained upthread.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3756046-To-shudder-at-the-phrase-fry-off-the-onions#:~:text=Fry%20off%20means%20to%20fry,what%20needs%20to%20be%20done.

Why is it 'insidious'? I really don't think it's an Americanism either. Language changes - it's normal.

Apparently it's common in British and Australian English.

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/park-up#:~:text=park%20up%20%7C%20park%20something%20up,and%20waited%20at%20the%20crossroads.

But does it add extra meaning if even native English speakers can't agree on what that meaning is?

I'm increasingly seeing 'swap out' too, which is very frustrating. Swap is absolutely fine on its own. Grr!

Parked, if you are describing the status of the vehicle. That's all, one word!
You can say 'I am parked up the road' as that is describing not only the status of the car, but also its position.
Parked up is used in America, but has found it's way into our language. As has swapped out. There is no need for the out, it's a redundant word