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Tinanam0102 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Obtain...off / from
Hi teachers,
He somehow obtained some new license plates off a difference car, but not one that was reported stolen.
1. Why isn't obtained from?
2. I bought this car off Tom.
Why isn't "from Tom"?
3. Can we have a message off the answering machine? (from CSI)
Why isn't "from the answering machine"?
Thank you very much.
Tinanam
He somehow obtained some new license plates off a difference car, but not one that was reported stolen.
1. Why isn't obtained from?
2. I bought this car off Tom.
Why isn't "from Tom"?
3. Can we have a message off the answering machine? (from CSI)
Why isn't "from the answering machine"?
Thank you very much.
Tinanam
Top answer
Hi, Broadly speaking, both 'from' and 'off' are possible in all your examples, although I prefer 'from'. Clive
- Hi, Broadly speaking, both 'from' and 'off' are possible in all your examples, although I prefer 'from'.
- Clive
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5 Answers
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Hi,
Broadly speaking, both 'from' and 'off' are possible in all your examples, although I prefer 'from'.
Clive
Broadly speaking, both 'from' and 'off' are possible in all your examples, although I prefer 'from'.
Clive
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Hi Clive,
Do you mean they mean the same to you? Although I found out buy off has another meaning; to bribe someone.
I bought a car off Tom. Does that mean I bribe him into selling me the car?
Thank you.
Tinanam
Do you mean they mean the same to you? Although I found out buy off has another meaning; to bribe someone.
I bought a car off Tom. Does that mean I bribe him into selling me the car?
Thank you.
Tinanam
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Hi,
Do you mean they mean the same to you? Although I found out buy off has another meaning; to bribe someone.
I bought a car off Tom. Does that mean I bribe him into selling me the car? No, it just means Tom sold me a car.
In the 'bribe' meaning, the person is the direct object.
eg Before I went to court, I bought off the judge.
Interestin
Do you mean they mean the same to you? Although I found out buy off has another meaning; to bribe someone.
I bought a car off Tom. Does that mean I bribe him into selling me the car? No, it just means Tom sold me a car.
In the 'bribe' meaning, the person is the direct object.
eg Before I went to court, I bought off the judge.
Interestin
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I would add that to my ear, "I bought it off Tom" is definitely lower-register than "I bought it from Tom." (For that reason, it sounds odd in the sentence with "obtain," which is higher-register than the neutral word "get.")
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Hi Clive, hi Khoff,
Thank you for your help. I actually read these from the captions of the CSI series.
1. If I'm writing a passage then I shouldn't use brought it off Tom, or obtained it off the machine. Instead I should use "from".
2. Does "formal register" the opposite of "lower-register"?
Thank you.
Tinanam
Thank you for your help. I actually read these from the captions of the CSI series.
1. If I'm writing a passage then I shouldn't use brought it off Tom, or obtained it off the machine. Instead I should use "from".
2. Does "formal register" the opposite of "lower-register"?
Thank you.
Tinanam
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