typical of/for

Question

it is very typical of/for sb to do smth?

it's quite an old dilemma, please someone help me out... can it be both or is there one of them which is better/more formal...or anything just to be able to distinguish them in case any distinction is necessary as to what regards the quality

Enoon · Accepted Answer

I think you should know—I went by this question twice without answering because I thought, "If they have so little respect for the forum and the language that they can't be bothered to press a shift key, I'd be wasting my time. They have a fair command of the language, so I can't believe they don't know capitalization and punctuation at all."

Amethyst Leigh · Answer

I am sorry but I feel I can hardly not take this as an insult.
Which I don't quite get since 1. I am new to the website and thus I haven't tried searching for something on it
2. Now that I did I only found one topic like this, in which the reply was both seem fine to me - which doesn't seem 100% sure.

Thus I don't mind I posted my question since I still have no reply to it.

Yet if you make such a comment next time, in my point of view it could be done with somewhat less prejudice and insult between the lines, let alone that I don't get what meaning you intentended to convey with that thing about capitalization and punctuation, regarding which I had no queries.

Please accept my apologies for being absent-minded.

Enoon · Answer

Amethyst LeighI am sorry but I feel I can hardly not take this as an insult.

OK, but you are now using capital letters and punctuation. Thank you. I was merely letting you know the impression you made in case you were wondering why you weren't getting answered. I could have posted nothing at all, which is what I always do. You should see what I can do when I want to be insulting. That was me being tactful.

"Typical" can take either "of or "for". Context is everything, and I doubt I can cover all the cases, but I'll try.

A trait is usually typical of a thing, not for it: "These frogs have a coloration typical of poisonous animals."

An express action can be typical for it: "To complain is typical for her" (but "That is so typical of her."). "Sleeping 20 hours a day is typical for cats" (but "Typical of feline predators like cats is excellent night vision.").

"Of" implies volition in an express act. "Typical" means "defining a type", and you can't define a type if there is only one item. To complain can be typical of people like her. To complain is typical behavior for her—it is typical for her.

Ivanhr · Answer

What about these?

It's typical for cats to sleep 20 hours a day.

or

It's typical of cats to sleep 20 hours a day.

They both sound ok to me but I can't be sure.

Amethyst Leigh · Answer

I am sorry I didn't use capital letters and punctuation in my former letter but when I am lost deep in my thoughts, in that kind of a state of mind, I often just use "..." so as to express a stream of consciousness but it does not equal to the fact that I am undereducated as you already might have taken note of.
I am utmost happy you did not mean to insult because I do not like generating anger in people, however stupid that might sound.

Thank you for providing me with a detailed answer to my dilemma, I can see thing so much clearer now.

Before you answered my question I used "for" but I would still go for that one in this context. In case you read my reply, please take the time to check whether I eventually got it right or wrong.

"It is also very typical for Rippl-Rónai to use canvas" - even though it is a trait of his, I would not use of because it is not something he was born with but something he uses as an external tool. Am I right?

Thank you for not being mad at me and giving such a long explanation. You were helpful. At least I can only hope I understood explanation since I am little slow in the uptake(I am not even sure this expression is used like this in this context).

Enoon · Answer

IvanhrWhat about these?It's typical for cats to sleep 20 hours a day.orIt's typical of cats to sleep 20 hours a day.They both sound ok to me but I can't be sure.

Yeah. I'm not stating rules, I'm fishing around for patterns in a feeble attempt to answer our friend's question. You will hear both, to be sure, with the same intended meaning, but I prefer the first one. I think "of" takes "typical" toward its literal meaning, "characteristic of a type", and with "for" it's like an informal alternative to "usual".

Lions display the somnolence typical of all cats.

It is typical for cats to sleep 20 hours a day.

Enoon · Answer

Amethyst LeighI am sorry ....

Now I feel like I drove a tack with a sledgehammer. Let's forget it, OK?

Amethyst Leigh"It is also very typical for Rippl-Rónai to use canvas" - even though it is a trait of his, I would not use of because it is not something he was born with but something he uses as an external tool. Am I right?

I would say that using canvas is not a trait but an action. You could speak of the subject matter typical of the realist school, for instance, but I don't think something can be typical of an individual, strictly speaking. A trait is typical of a class. You could say that a certain style was typical of Rippl-Ronai in the early years, but you don't mean the artist but his body of work.

I'm feeling my way, here. Please ask whatever you like to see whether what I'm saying is true. You do not seem at all "slow on the uptake" to me.

Amethyst Leigh · Answer

Wow, isn't that great? Feels like I learned a new idiom with your sledgehammerry expression. Made me smile.
So right, let's forget it.

Oh right! I see your point clearer about this of/for issue now. I think I'm fine right now.

Only if I dare ask another question, you could tell me what you mean by

enoonI'm feeling my way, here.

Since I find it really interesting, seems like a simple sentence to me and yet I don't quite get what you mean.

But overall, thank you for the clarification. I understand now. Basically "of" is more common than "for", since this latter one seems to me to be used rather in informal language in contrast with the former one having rather a general use or used when describing traits.

Enoon · Answer

Amethyst LeighFeels like I learned a new idiom

I'm not sure it's an established expression. I read it in Robert Heinlein one time and never forgot it.

Amethyst Leigh I don't quite get what you mean.

To feel one's way is to proceed cautiously, relying on instinct. You can imagine a person in complete darkness using his hands to tell him where the walls and obstacles are.

Amethyst LeighBut overall, thank you for the clarification.

I can only hope it was of a little use. A native speaker has to invent his own language all over again from scratch to answer such questions.

Amethyst Leigh · Answer

Thank you. It was very useful indeed. I like both expressions with the sledgehammer and "to feel one's way".
I see your point about the difficulty of being a native speaker but I think you did well in finding the terms and examples to convey meaning. Thank you very much.

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