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Pedants' corner

Of or With?

(24 Posts)
Gally Tue 22-Jan-13 16:00:48

I've just received an e-mail from Paypal asking me if I was 'fed up of wearing hats and gloves?'. It doesn't sound right to me - I think I would have used 'with'. Can someone put me right on this please, it's really bothering me?confused

Anne58 Tue 22-Jan-13 16:02:11

I would have used "with" Gally but that doesn't mean it's correct!

Ceesnan Tue 22-Jan-13 16:04:20

I always say "with" because "of" just doesn't seem right. Ready to be corrected though.

vampirequeen Tue 22-Jan-13 16:05:14

Oh dear 'with' looks correct when I write it but 'of' sounds correct when I say it.

As I tend to trust the way I write rather than the way I speak I'll go with 'with'.

Anne58 Tue 22-Jan-13 16:05:50

Same with "bored" some people say "bored of" which I never think looks right. I would say "Bored with" or "bored by".

annodomini Tue 22-Jan-13 16:25:52

'Fed up with' and 'bored with', as far as I'm concerned.

Ana Tue 22-Jan-13 16:30:40

Yes, 'fed up with' and 'bored with', although 'bored by' insome circumstances.

Nelliemoser Tue 22-Jan-13 16:43:43

hmm We use "tired of" though, but its "bored with" and "fed up with".

It all seems rather arbitary about which should be used and considered grammatically correct. I don't know enough about Grammar rules and just use what sounds right. Differences are probably down to dialect in the end.

janeainsworth Tue 22-Jan-13 18:26:10

Agree with VQ, but perhaps as 'fed up' is a colloquial expression, it doesn't really matter what one follows it with.
Oh dear, now I've ended a sentence with a prepositionblush

gracesmum Tue 22-Jan-13 18:48:25

with definitely. And while we are at it - even "reputable" people are using bored of [aaagh] emoticon

Ella46 Tue 22-Jan-13 23:00:16

WITH WITH WITH angry
It's my pet hate.....can you tell? grin

Bags Wed 23-Jan-13 05:56:12

Oxford Online Dictionaries says:
"The first two constructions, bored with and bored by, are the standard ones. The third, bored of, is more recent than the other two and it’s become extremely common. In fact, the Oxford English Corpus contains almost twice as many instances of bored of than bored by. It represents a perfectly logical development of the language, and was probably formed on the pattern of expressions such as tired of or weary of. Nevertheless, some people dislike it and it’s not fully accepted in standard English. It’s best to avoid using it in formal writing."

My view is that it's best to avoid using bored or boring but I think you're stuck with being annoyed with 'bored of'. Better start getting used to it, I reckon. wink

Ella46 Wed 23-Jan-13 07:01:02

I'm quite accepting of language evolving, and yet I still get cross by certain things! I wonder why?
No logic to it, so it proves beyond doubt that I'm only human! wink

Kali Wed 23-Jan-13 07:32:36

Careful of using the phrase 'proves beyond doubt' Ella there are those scientifically pedantic GNetters who will ask you for the study that supports your allegation grin shhhh....

Ella46 Wed 23-Jan-13 07:40:23

Kali SShhhh indeed! grin

jeni Wed 23-Jan-13 08:37:10

You share a lot of DNA in common with a chimp!grin

Kali Wed 23-Jan-13 08:42:18

Apparently 98.4% with chimps. What bothers me is the 70% we share with slugs. Are you sure you're posting on the correct thread Jeni?

absent Wed 23-Jan-13 09:03:53

I would always says with but it's still perfectly clear what is meant if someone says of, so what's the problem?

You/we share ninety something percent of DNA with fruit flies.

Bags Wed 23-Jan-13 09:05:59

Safest thing is never to say you are bored (with, by, or of) anything. And the best thing ever is never to be bored. #mindset

Anne58 Wed 23-Jan-13 09:46:35

Ah but Bags what if you are talking about someone else, e.g. "She said she was bored with her diet" etc.

Bags Wed 23-Jan-13 10:04:37

Change the word. e.g. she said she was tired of her diet; she implied she was fed up with her diet.

Alternatively, don't talk about people being bored. Easy.

wink

Joan Wed 23-Jan-13 11:56:09

Sometimes changes happen because people have a different first language, and bring some of the linguistic forms into their new language. If there is mass immigration this can become embedded in the new language.

For instance, in German it is normal to say 'come with' (komm mit) instead of completing with 'us' or 'me', ie come with me, come with us.

Many Germans came to this part of Queensland, and nowadays often someone will say something like "We are going so-and-so: why don't you come with?"

Perhaps this is how we get preposition changes. Just an idea....

Anne58 Wed 23-Jan-13 14:27:39

In Devon many people say "Where are you to?" which means "where are you from" or if used on a mobile phone, can mean "where are you now?"

I once heard someone say the following sentence "Where's Missus to? Her should be here so us can tell she about it" (The right words, but not necessarily in the right order.............!)

Tegan Wed 23-Jan-13 14:31:11

Tel conversation in my youth; Cornish friend kept saying 'where'be'too?' [Meaning 'where are you?']. Took me ages to fathom out what he meant.