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Bhas Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Usage of "OF" (in secretary of / secretary for)

Hi everybody.Please help me with the usage of "OF" in the following context:

I have seen in lot of places(news etc.) this kind of usage :
Secretary for trade and industry.

But,is it perfectly acceptable to use "of" in the following way:
Secretary of trade and industry.

I am able to understand the small difference in meaning between them but don't know if "OF" replaces "FOR" in such use.
i.e.,
Ministry of/for, department of/for, member of/for.

Thank you all.
  

Top answer

In my opinion, these are titles, and the choice of prepositions rests with the people who make them up. You can't call Hillary "Secretary For State," but it would probably be understood and carry the same meaning.

— Avangi

  • In my opinion, these are titles, and the choice of prepositions rests with the people who make them up.
  • You can't call Hillary "Secretary For State," but it would probably be understood and carry the same meaning.
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2 Answers
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In my opinion, these are titles, and the choice of prepositions rests with the people who make them up.

You can't call Hillary "Secretary For State," but it would probably be understood and carry the same meaning.
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bhas"OF" ... "FOR"
I'd say that most of these official names have "of", which is the more neutral preposition.

To my ear the use of "for" focuses on the promotion or advocacy of something. A secretary for trade, it seems to me, is a secretary who promotes or advocates trade.

CJ
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