Grammar Assistance! What is the problem with this sentence?

Vloženo před rokem

I've been stuck on this question for over 10 mins. This chapter is on prepositions. The sentence is „Please keep confidential memos off of your desk.“ The question my instructor is asking is this sentence written correctly? True or False. The answer is „False“, but I cannot explain why. It sounds like something I'd say or write. I don't understand why its grammatically incorrect. I've gone through my chapter and my notes. Please be nice. I've been out of school for almost 25 years. I'm sure I learned this somewhere but it's just not obvious to me.

Thank You. 19216811.mx

DesperateDan

Vloženo před rokem

The problem is with „off of“, which is colloquial/lazy in style and non-standard. It's used in AmE but not recommended in any serious style of writing in AmE either. The sentence is couched [= constructed, written, formulated, expressed ] in relatively formal business style, not colloquial or conversational. I would not expect to read „off of“ in a memo from someone in a managerial position. It doesn't fit the style. It comes across as „… prejč vod pracovního stolu, (ty vole)!…“ which wouldn't be acceptable in this style in Czech either. 😉

There's a similar style problem with „near to“. We don't need „to“ here, „near“ is enough.

CMOS guidelines apply to formal speech and writing, and CMOS (the Chicago Manual of Style) says never to use “off of” (Chicago Manual of Style)

evaoslik

Vloženo před rokem

Tady o tom je psáno......přiznám se, že jsem příliš nezkoumala, nakolik je ta stránka dobrá.....ale jistě to půjde ještě jinde ověřit…:)
https://grammarist.com/usage/off-of/

evaoslik

Vloženo před rokem

Příspěvek od DesperateDan vložený před rokem

The problem is with „off of“, which is colloquial/lazy in style and non-standard. It's used in AmE but not recommended in any serious style of writing in AmE either. The sentence is couched [= constructed, written, formulated, expressed ] in relatively formal business style, not colloquial or conversational. I would not expect to read „off of“ in a memo from someone in a managerial position. It doesn't fit the style. It comes across as „… prejč vod pracovního stolu, (ty vole)!…“ which wouldn't be acceptable in this style in Czech either. 😉

There's a similar style problem with „near to“. We don't need „to“ here, „near“ is enough.

See also off of as in Keep off of the couch .

CMOS guidelines apply to formal speech and writing, and CMOS (the Chicago Manual of Style) says never to use “off of” (Chicago Manual of Style)

Hey, Dan, prejč? What is that? Did you mean"prej" instead of the correct „prý“?… Thanks a lot… I am Czech but I have never heard „prejč“

evaoslik

Vloženo před rokem

Příspěvek od evaoslik vložený před rokem

Hey, Dan, prejč? What is that? Did you mean"prej" instead of the correct „prý“?… Thanks a lot… I am Czech but I have never heard „prejč“

…jsem si to přečetla ještě jednou a asi myslíš „prejč“ namísto „pryč“, ale to jsem fakt nikdy neslyšela…

DesperateDan

Vloženo před rokem

I'm deliberately exaggerating the Prague dialectical sound (not writing) where standard „ý“ is sometimes pronounced in spoken style as „ej“.

… studený meaning “cold” becomes studenej. malý meaning “small” becomes malej.: druhý meaning “second” becomes druhej: : Brandon: Can you give us some examples with nouns? Martin: výlet meaning “a trip” becomes vejlet. výška meaning “height” becomes vejška.: brýle meaning “Glasses” becomes brejle (czechclass)

The point I'm making is that „off of“ is a style problem here, in the same way that „prejč“ iinstead of „pryč“ would be a style problem in Czech in business style. 🙂

evaoslik

Vloženo před rokem

Příspěvek od DesperateDan vložený před rokem

I'm deliberately exaggerating the Prague dialectical sound (not writing) where standard „ý“ is sometimes pronounced in spoken style as „ej“.

… studený meaning “cold” becomes studenej. malý meaning “small” becomes malej.: druhý meaning “second” becomes druhej: : Brandon: Can you give us some examples with nouns? Martin: výlet meaning “a trip” becomes vejlet. výška meaning “height” becomes vejška.: brýle meaning “Glasses” becomes brejle (czechclass)

The point I'm making is that „off of“ is a style problem here, in the same way that „prejč“ iinstead of „pryč“ would be a style problem in Czech in business style. 🙂

I see..... It works with all the examples.....except „prejč“ – that just doesn't exist…but you say you exaggerated....... so let's take it as a joke:)…

DesperateDan

Vloženo před rokem

Perhaps it depends on the point at which different people begin to hear „ý“ not as its pure „ý“ sound in emotive or colloquial utterances, but drifting towards a more open/central sound that is more like „ej“. I'm talking about sounds, not written forms. 🙂

Franta K. Barták @krysarr

Vloženo před rokem

Příspěvek od DesperateDan vložený před rokem

Perhaps it depends on the point at which different people begin to hear „ý“ not as its pure „ý“ sound in emotive or colloquial utterances, but drifting towards a more open/central sound that is more like „ej“. I'm talking about sounds, not written forms. 🙂

Dan, the vocal change you mention applies just to /iː/ → /eɪ/ (prý→prej, rýč→rejč TTT ^*1 ).
The short vowel /ɪ/ doesn't change into anything, though. 🙂

evaoslik

Vloženo před rokem

Příspěvek od Franta K. Barták vložený před rokem

Dan, the vocal change you mention applies just to /iː/ → /eɪ/ (prý→prej, rýč→rejč ^*1 ).
The short vowel /ɪ/ doesn't change into anything, though. 🙂

Franto, děkuji. Často vím, že něco nějak nejde, ale už nedám dohromady jak to přehledně vysvětlit… (popřípadě jsem líná se tím dále zabývat..:)).......

AdrianaXXX @AdrianaXXX

Vloženo před rokem

🙂

A ja som si aj pomyslela, že či si to Dan nejako nezobral zo slovenčiny, keďže rozumie aj tomuto jazyku.

pryč (CZ) = preč (SK)

Help for English

Přihlášení

Menu

Vyhledávání ve slovníčku