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SHE / HE /THEY and HER/HIS/THEIR - a question of style?
leave the impression the sky was going to fall
Aug 5, 2004 11:57
19 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term

wide of the mark vs. wide off the mark

Non-PRO English Other Linguistics English as she is spoke
"of" outscores "off" by a margin of 33-1 in google but should it?
Responses
5 +9 Yes
5 +5 wide of the mark
5 +5 wide of the mark would be the right choice
5 Wide of the mark, or "Well off the mark"

Discussion

IanW (X) Aug 5, 2004:
For Ramesh and everyone else who are not familiar with "English as she is spoke": http://crossroads.net/honyaku/easis/
Ramesh Madhavan Aug 5, 2004:
It is old classical English; very different from what we speak (or write) today.
IanW (X) Aug 5, 2004:
Yes, I have heard of "English as she is spoke", I'm just wondering what it is doing here!
Ramesh Madhavan Aug 5, 2004:
Ian,you have to answer this!
Non-ProZ.com Aug 5, 2004:
Ian, never heard of English as she is spoke? it's such a classic I just refuse to believe you

Responses

+9
3 mins
Selected

Yes

Yes: "of" is correct, "off" isn't

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Note added at 4 mins (2004-08-05 12:01:14 GMT)
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\"English as she is spoke\"???

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Note added at 9 mins (2004-08-05 12:07:10 GMT)
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Yes, I have heard of \"English as she is spoke\", I\'m just wondering what it is doing here!
Peer comment(s):
agree Marian Greenfield
1 min
agree Ramesh Madhavan : Thus spake Ian Winick :-))
7 mins
:-)
agree Vicky Papaprodromou
14 mins
agree David Moore (X) : Too right - it should outscore it by infinity to one, but then, google is only as good as its contributors.....(afternoon, Ian)
50 mins
agree Eva Karpouzi
57 mins
agree airmailrpl : "of" is correct
1 hr
agree Asghar Bhatti
1 hr
agree Refugio : Especially as "she is spoke," the expression 'wide off the mark' would be either wrong, or a play on words, because 'of' and 'off' don't sound at all alike.
2 hrs
agree Alfa Trans (X)
8 days
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
+5
3 mins

wide of the mark

:)
Peer comment(s):
agree Armorel Young : that's the one
10 mins
thanks
agree Eva Karpouzi
57 mins
agree airmailrpl : -
1 hr
agree Kevin Pfeiffer (X) : jumpin' on the bandwagon!
2 hrs
agree Jacqueline McKay (X)
23 hrs
Something went wrong...
+5
3 mins

wide of the mark would be the right choice

wide of the mark would be the right choice.

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Note added at 5 mins (2004-08-05 12:03:13 GMT)
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According to webster-dictionary:
wide of the mark - not on target; \"the kick was wide\"; \"the arrow was wide of the mark\"; \"a claim that was wide of the truth\".
Peer comment(s):
agree Eva Karpouzi
57 mins
Thank you
agree airmailrpl : -
1 hr
Thank you
agree Tahir
1 hr
Thank you
agree Rajan Chopra
22 hrs
Thank you
agree Eva Olsson : "Wide of" is what my dictionary says.
5 days
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

Wide of the mark, or "Well off the mark"

Two options so you can take your pick.
Something went wrong...
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