Trivial post - "off of" - why do people say it?
Discussion
A really trivial post, but it's really got me wondering 
Why do people say "off of"? As in "take that off of the table". An overwhelming majority of people in my office say it. Obviously, we all know it is grammatically incorrect (and I'm not sure I care about that, because we all know what people mean when they say it), but my question is based around the fact that it is very difficult to say! I'm not a pedant for grammar, and I appreciate that people say certain incorrect things because they're easier, but this one is a right old tongue twister! You can see my boss break up his usual conversational flow whenever he has to say it.
Why do people say "off of"? As in "take that off of the table". An overwhelming majority of people in my office say it. Obviously, we all know it is grammatically incorrect (and I'm not sure I care about that, because we all know what people mean when they say it), but my question is based around the fact that it is very difficult to say! I'm not a pedant for grammar, and I appreciate that people say certain incorrect things because they're easier, but this one is a right old tongue twister! You can see my boss break up his usual conversational flow whenever he has to say it.
My Boss [quickly]: "Ok guys, the customer has told us that they'd like some changes to the base build we're supplying to them. They don't like a couple of applications and they would like them taken" [..long pause..] "off" [..cringe..] "of" [he continues as normal] "the build that we're supplying them with".
Totally breaks most people's speach up mid flow, and unnecessarily as well, because it is wrong!
minimax said:
Why do people say "off of"?
It's because they were poorly educated.
bingo. morons..
just the same as saying 'would of' instead of 'would have' or 'would've'
I guess it isn't their fault if their school didn't teach them very well! Although most people rectify and refine their grammar purely by reading books later in life. Personally, I've also been very confused recently as to why our main customer has any dealing in the world's largest ocean!?! The lady I sit opposite keeps talking about their "pacific requirements".
RobM77 said:
Personally, I've also been very confused recently as to why our main customer has any dealing in the world's largest ocean!?! The lady I sit opposite keeps talking about their "pacific requirements".
A family friend used to work in the perfume business and continually referred to her company's range of "pour on" products. Whilst that particular gaffe actually works in a weird kinda way, you'd have thought that somebody actually in the industry would have spotted the words "pour homme" on their products once in a while...
mkgriff said:
but my question is based around the fact that it is very difficult to say!
"Off of" isn't hard to say!
Try pronouncing
"Llandofthehairymuffin"
Now that's hard to say even if you're Welsh!
Try going to the Highlands: Auchtermuchternothernameicantsay... RobM77 said:
A really trivial post, but it's really got me wondering
Why do people say "off of"? As in "take that off of the table". An overwhelming majority of people in my office say it. Obviously, we all know it is grammatically incorrect (and I'm not sure I care about that, because we all know what people mean when they say it), but my question is based around the fact that it is very difficult to say! I'm not a pedant for grammar, and I appreciate that people say certain incorrect things because they're easier, but this one is a right old tongue twister! You can see my boss break up his usual conversational flow whenever he has to say it.
its not poor grammar, its poor semantics. try and out pedant a pedant will you?
Nervy, how's the new caps key working?
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