Pedants' Paradise

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Hold on! "Opposite of", "opposite from", or just "opposite" ... but "opposite to" (as opposed to "opposed to")? I don't think I would say that.

"He lives in the house opposite to mine". - I think I'd just say "He lives in the house opposite (mine)". (Or, more likely, "across from".)

[vinteuil]

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... sometimes we look for a straightforward 'logic' in these cases which simply isn't there. As the 'new' Fowler [1996] puts it - "the principle upon which different to is questioned is based on the premiss that we do not say differ to. By this argument, all words in same morphological family should be construed with the same prepositions; eg we ought to say according with (instead of according to) because we say accords with." Some examples (from Fowler [1926]) - "... why do we say according, agreeably, and pursuant, to instructions, when we have to say this accords with, agrees with, or pursues, instructions ? ... why derogatory to, inconceivable to, in contrast with derogates from, not be conceived by ? ... why do pleases, suffices, defies, me go each its own way, and yield pleasant to, sufficient for, and defiant of, me." Contrast also full of with filled with ; proud of with pride in.






.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[LezLee]

I can't imagine ever saying 'defiant of'!

[vinteuil]

I can't imagine ever saying 'defiant of'!

... mmm, it is hard to imagine the context in which it might arise - but wd it be 'in defiance of' all know rules of the universe?

I think I could just about hear myself saying "I am defiant of all the petty restrictions here, I'm going to go ahead and.... "


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[Serial_Apologist]

... mmm, it is hard to imagine the context in which it might arise - but wd it be 'in defiance of' all know rules of the universe?

I think I could just about hear myself saying "I am defiant of all the petty restrictions here, I'm going to go ahead and.... "


.

But it would be so much easier just to say "I defy all the petty restrictions here", surely? After all, I am not in some condition or state of defiance, I am simply defying.

[vinteuil]

But it would be so much easier just to say "I defy all the petty restrictions here", surely? After all, I am not in some condition or state of defiance, I am simply defying.

... howzabout : "I have been attacked so many times on this forum that I am defiant of any attempts to cajole me into submission."

[Serial_Apologist]

... howzabout : "I have been attacked so many times on this forum that I am defiant of any attempts to cajole me into submission."

That's one hell of a pretext, vints!

[Andy Freude]

"I am defiant of all the petty restrictions here, I'm going to go ahead and.... "

Parataxis.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Parataxis.

Rivals to Uber?

[Andy Freude]

Rivals to Uber?

Syntaxis. Allegedly.

[oddoneout]

Syntaxis. Allegedly.

The ones you take to confession?

[oddoneout]

... mmm, it is hard to imagine the context in which it might arise - but wd it be 'in defiance of' all know rules of the universe?

I think I could just about hear myself saying "I am defiant of all the petty restrictions here, I'm going to go ahead and.... "


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So you'll be defiantly going ahead then? Kill two birds with one stone - definitely going ahead and in defiance.

I'm afraid I still find the, now common, defiantly/definitely confusion amusing rather than irritating.

[Padraig]

... mmm, it is hard to imagine the context in which it might arise - but wd it be 'in defiance of' all know rules of the universe?

I think I could just about hear myself saying "I am defiant of all the petty restrictions here, I'm going to go ahead and.... "


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I think I could hear you saying it too, v, since it sounds reasonable to me. I hear a continuous present.

[LezLee]

Parataxis.

The ones with a ripcord?