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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
I changed my phone number.
A. I changed my phone number.
B. I changed phone numbers.
Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10, but someone told me that "change" should take a plural noun without an article in cases like this, and so A is the only correct choice. Come to think of it, I hear "I changed jobs" more often than "I changed my job," but I don't think that's the case with the sentences in question. Could anyone shed light on this?
becky
B. I changed phone numbers.
Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10, but someone told me that "change" should take a plural noun without an article in cases like this, and so A is the only correct choice. Come to think of it, I hear "I changed jobs" more often than "I changed my job," but I don't think that's the case with the sentences in question. Could anyone shed light on this?
becky
Top answer
becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004: [nq:1]A. I changed my phone number. B.
- becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004: [nq:1]A.
- I changed my phone number.
- B.
- I changed phone numbers.
- Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10,[/nq] "A" sounds more like idiomatic AmE to me.
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84 Answers
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becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004:
[nq:1]A. I changed my phone number. B. I changed phone numbers. Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10,[/nq]
"A" sounds more like idiomatic AmE to me.
But I'd just as soon say "I've got a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.
[nq:1]but someone told me that "change" should take a plural noun without an article in cases like this,[/nq]
[nq:1]A. I changed my phone number. B. I changed phone numbers. Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10,[/nq]
"A" sounds more like idiomatic AmE to me.
But I'd just as soon say "I've got a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.
[nq:1]but someone told me that "change" should take a plural noun without an article in cases like this,[/nq]
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[nq:1]becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]A. I changed my phone number. B. I changed phone numbers. Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10,[/nq]
[nq:1]"A" sounds more like idiomatic AmE to me. But I'd just as soon say "I've got a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.[/nq]
Well, in the pure logic (something with which language has little to do) sense, maybe.
[
[nq:2]A. I changed my phone number. B. I changed phone numbers. Google favors A over B by a factor of more than 10,[/nq]
[nq:1]"A" sounds more like idiomatic AmE to me. But I'd just as soon say "I've got a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.[/nq]
Well, in the pure logic (something with which language has little to do) sense, maybe.
[
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[nq:1]A. I changed my phone number. B. I changed phone numbers. Google favors A over B by a factor of ... my job," but I don't think that's the case with the sentences in question. Could anyone shed light on this?[/nq]
Only to say I think the Google count reflects, in this case, what is idiomatic, 'I changed my phone number', as are you with 'I changed jobs'. Very often there's no explaining w
Only to say I think the Google count reflects, in this case, what is idiomatic, 'I changed my phone number', as are you with 'I changed jobs'. Very often there's no explaining w
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Gary Williams wrote on 12 Jul 2004:
[nq:2]becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004: "A" sounds more like ... a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, in the pure logic (something with which language has little to do) sense, maybe.[/nq]
That depends on whether you're talking about spoken or written language to some extent. What people say has little to do with logic, I'll agre
[nq:2]becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004: "A" sounds more like ... a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, in the pure logic (something with which language has little to do) sense, maybe.[/nq]
That depends on whether you're talking about spoken or written language to some extent. What people say has little to do with logic, I'll agre
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[nq:2]becky wrote on 12 Jul 2004: "A" sounds more like idiomatic AmE to me.[/nq]
Both sound fine to my Brit ears but I think that I would be more likely to say A.
[nq:2]But I'd just as soon say "I've got a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, in the pure logic (something with which language has little to do) sense, maybe.[/nq]
As a mathematician, I can be
Both sound fine to my Brit ears but I think that I would be more likely to say A.
[nq:2]But I'd just as soon say "I've got a new phone number"; it makes more sense to me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, in the pure logic (something with which language has little to do) sense, maybe.[/nq]
As a mathematician, I can be
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Sean O'Leathlobhair wrote on 13 Jul 2004:
[nq:1]I agree that it is pedantic to make the distinction between me changing the phone number and the phone company doing it.[/nq]
And is it pedantic to make a distinction between your defense lawyer, who also acts as your agent, convincing a jury to acquit you of a criminal charge in a public trial or your doing it?
[nq:1]The phone company is
[nq:1]I agree that it is pedantic to make the distinction between me changing the phone number and the phone company doing it.[/nq]
And is it pedantic to make a distinction between your defense lawyer, who also acts as your agent, convincing a jury to acquit you of a criminal charge in a public trial or your doing it?
[nq:1]The phone company is
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[nq:1]Sean O'Leathlobhair wrote on 13 Jul 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]I agree that it is pedantic to make the distinction between me changing the phone number and the phone company doing it.[/nq]
[nq:1]And is it pedantic to make a distinction between your defense lawyer, who also acts as your agent, convincing a jury to acquit you of a criminal charge in a public trial or your doing it?[/nq]
But
[nq:2]I agree that it is pedantic to make the distinction between me changing the phone number and the phone company doing it.[/nq]
[nq:1]And is it pedantic to make a distinction between your defense lawyer, who also acts as your agent, convincing a jury to acquit you of a criminal charge in a public trial or your doing it?[/nq]
But
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Sean O'Leathlobhair wrote on 13 Jul 2004:
[nq:2]Sean O'Leathlobhair wrote on 13 Jul 2004: And is ... criminal charge in a public trial or your doing it?[/nq]
[nq:1]But the context is different. What is required precision in a courtroom may be pedantic in day to day life. ... logical standards high. If I applied the same standards to everyday conversation, no one would want to speak to me.[
[nq:2]Sean O'Leathlobhair wrote on 13 Jul 2004: And is ... criminal charge in a public trial or your doing it?[/nq]
[nq:1]But the context is different. What is required precision in a courtroom may be pedantic in day to day life. ... logical standards high. If I applied the same standards to everyday conversation, no one would want to speak to me.[
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[nq:1]Any idiomatic expression that generates requests for clarification from native speakers has to be strictly local (in one sense or another) and not really idiomatic[/nq]
Some of our disagreement, I think, stems from somewhat different takes on "idiomatic". To me, once you say "idiomatic", as in "good idiomatic AmE", I start thinking "what people actually say", not "what would be the highe
Some of our disagreement, I think, stems from somewhat different takes on "idiomatic". To me, once you say "idiomatic", as in "good idiomatic AmE", I start thinking "what people actually say", not "what would be the highe
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[nq:1]Let's take the comparison down a few notches from having the phone number changed versus persuading a jury to acquit ... I'd never say that "I painted my bedroom walls and ceiling blue" if I had someone else do the painting.[/nq]
I didn't throw this in earlier because I'm not completely confident of it, but I wonder whether a factor in the decision whether to use a causative form is the
I didn't throw this in earlier because I'm not completely confident of it, but I wonder whether a factor in the decision whether to use a causative form is the
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