Sorry about/sorry for

Question

I recently corrected a friend's English from
"Sorry for the late reply" to
"Sorry about the late reply".
She asked me why - I think her dictionary only lists "sorry for" - and I had difficulty explaining.
In my idiolect, "sorry about " and "sorry for " are both OK, but I find "sorry for " awkward.

However, a quick google search found plenty of hits for "sorry for ", so perhaps my instincts are not universal.

Note that I find "sorry for " borderline acceptable when the noun phrase describes an action, rather than a thing. So in the example above, I find "Sorry about the late reply" awkward, but not completely wrong.
I'd be interested to hear other opinions.
Thanks

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the late reply" to "Sorry about the late reply". She asked ... above, I find "Sorry about the late reply" awkward, but not completely wrong. I'd be interested to hear other opinions.[/nq]
In the US, "Sorry for the late reply" is perfectly acceptable in informal correspondence, email, and business correspondence.

"Sorry about the late reply" would be acceptable, but neither preferable nor as commonly used as "sorry for".

Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the late reply" to "Sorry about the late reply". She asked ... a quick google search found plenty of hits for "sorry for ", so perhaps my instincts are not universal.[/nq]
Not only your instincts: what are you doing correcting people on their language usage? I mean, unless I see an egregious mistake, and am speaking to someone who may wish to be corrected, I wouldn't correct people. Aren't there better things to talk about with a "friend" than their language abuse, as you see it? Anyway, if you're really that concerned about these matters, silent correction, by responding using your preferred form is the better way, regardless what kind of error it is:

"I love Millhowd's Creation of the World."
"Yes, I love that Milyo piece too."

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the ... for ", so perhaps my instincts are not universal.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not only your instincts: what are you doing correcting people on their language usage?[/nq]
It's quite common, and quite acceptable among friends, for one non-native English speaker to correct another. That's often how they learn idiomatic English when one is more advanced than the other in a particular area. Judging by the name and address of the poster, I think this is the case here.
[nq:1]I mean, unless I see an egregious mistake, and am speaking to someone who may wish to be corrected, I wouldn't correct people.[/nq]
Isn't this what you have just done? You have taken a stranger to task for a perceived, and not necessarily real, fault; a far more serious breach of etiquette than correcting a friend.

Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

Usenet · Answer

Stop being contentious like this. You know as well as I (or should know) there's a difference between what I'm doing on this newsgroup, courteously suggesting, in an impersonal communication between two strangers, how to relate to a person close to him, and actually doing so in a more or less intimate relatiosnhip.
The OP can either take my advice to heart or not. And of course it's true, I sometimes correct people if it's important enough & if it doesn't interrupt the flow of conversation. But the other way is the way of Neil Simonn odd couple who when one complains about the spaghetti says, "That's not spagetti. That's linguini." So he throws the plate against the wall and says, "Now it's garbage."
I believe correcint people on these little matters of grammar or usage is simply wrong. And esp. by the OP's own admission, in terms of "idiolect" (to use his term, borrowed from linguistics). What's the point? Each to their own style. And, of course, to be fair to him, I don't know the actual "parlinguistic" context (is this a specific language lesson? is it a chat over the phone about her sick mother?).

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the late reply" to "Sorry about the late reply".[/nq]
Where do you two live?
Certainly the phrase I've always heard is, "I"m sorry for your loss".

"About" would mean the same thing, but I don't think Americans say it.

If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the late reply" to "Sorry about the late reply".[/nq]
[nq:1]Where do you two live? Certainly the phrase I've always heard is, "I"m sorry for your loss".[/nq]
Huh?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the ... not completely wrong. I'd be interested to hear other opinions.[/nq]
[nq:1]In the US, "Sorry for the late reply" is perfectly acceptable in informal correspondence, email, and business correspondence. "Sorry about the late reply" would be acceptable, but neither preferable nor as commonly used as "sorry for".[/nq]
Perhaps it's "sorry for" something you're responsible for, but "sorry about" something else. "I'm sorry for being so late"; "I'm sorry to hear of your loss"; "I'm sorry about your bad luck". "Sorry for" makes a confession of guilt: "Sorry about" expresses sympathy.
Alan Jones

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently corrected a friend's English from "Sorry for the late reply" to "Sorry about the late reply". She asked me why - I think her dictionary only lists "sorry for" - and I had difficulty explaining.[/nq]
One is "sorry for" that which one is, at least to some degree, responsible for; one is "sorry about" anything, regardless of causation. Obviously "sorry about" includes "sorry for", but "sorry for" implies some sense of guilt.
If one says "I'm sorry for the pain I caused", it suggests that the pain was avoidable, the result of ill-chosen acts; if one says "I'm sorry about the pain I caused", it implies that the causation was to some degree needful and excusable (as, for example, in correcting a displaced kneecap, which is quite painful for a moment but necessary to avoid damage and later pain).

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Perhaps it's "sorry for" something you're responsible for, but "sorry about" something else. "I'm sorry for being so late"; "I'm sorry to hear of your loss"; "I'm sorry about your bad luck". "Sorry for" makes a confession of guilt: "Sorry about" expresses sympathy.[/nq]
There might be an exception to that. The form I hear, in Britain and Ireland, and on US TV shows, for someone expressing sympathy to a bereaved person is "I'm sorry for your loss".

There is no implication of responsibility.

Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Where do you two live? Certainly the phrase I've always heard is, "I"m sorry for your loss".[/nq]
[nq:1]Huh?[/nq]
When someone dies, what I've heard people say to the mourners is "I'm sorry for your loss". I've probably seen this mostly on television or read it in novels. Maybe most situations where "sorry for your" was used did not involve a death, but "sorry for your loss" is the phrase that sticks in my mind.
If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Sorry about/sorry for

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