at or to

ShadowChaser · Aug 14, 2009

Hey all,
Thanks for all your help in the past. I am in the midst of my final edits, and I need your help.

at or to:
I have seen it written both ways.

Example 1:
Tom nodded to him.
Tom nodded at him.

Example 2:
He pointed at Jim.
He pointed to Jim.

Example 3:
She screamed to the top of her lungs.
She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Thank you all for your help.
Cheers!

~*Kate*~ · Aug 14, 2009

ShadowChaser said:
Example 1:
Tom nodded to him.
Tom nodded at him.

The first suggests to me that he is indicating him, whereas the second implies he is agreeing with him.

ShadowChaser said:
Example 2:
He pointed at Jim.
He pointed to Jim.

These mean the same thing to me.

ShadowChaser said:
Example 3:
She screamed to the top of her lungs.
She screamed at the top of her lungs.

I've never heard anyone use the first phrase.

Chase · Aug 14, 2009

They all seem to be stylistic differences to me, except "She screamed to the top of her lungs."

The once or twice I've noticed the idiom expressed as such, I thought at best it was a regional difference. At worst, I supposed the writer had mixed up the idiom, similar to: "all of the sudden" instead of the more common, "all of a sudden."

IceCreamEmpress · Aug 14, 2009

I don't think "she screamed to the top of her lungs" is idiomatic English anywhere, as Chase said.

"Pointed at" and "pointed to" are synonymous, and both are correct.

As ~*Kate*~ says, "nodded to" and "nodded at" have slightly different connotations.

~*Kate*~ · Aug 14, 2009

Chase said:
At worst, I supposed the writer had mixing up the idiom, similar to: "all of the sudden" instead of the more common, "all of a sudden."

"The" sudden would be more common here.

Chase · Aug 14, 2009

~*Kate*~ said:
"The" sudden would be more common here.

If "here" is NWA, it must be a fun and different place. Neither of my Websters list "all of the sudden." Both list "all of a sudden" to mean "suddenly."

The following online dictionaries are the same, except Ask takes the time to indicate "all of the sudden" is wrong.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/all+of+a+sudden?db=dictionary

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=all+of+a+s...=http://grammartips.homestead.com/sudden.html

~*Kate*~ · Aug 14, 2009

Chase said:
If "here" is NWA, it must be a fun and different place. Neither of my Websters list "all of the sudden." Both list "all of a sudden" to mean "suddenly."

The following online dictionaries are the same, except Ask takes the time to indicate "all of the sudden" is wrong.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/all+of+a+sudden?db=dictionary

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=all+of+a+s...=http://grammartips.homestead.com/sudden.html

Like you said, a regional difference. I didn't say it was "right," I said it's what is more common here. We also call all sodas "Coke" but I understand that isn't the King's English.

ShadowChaser · Aug 14, 2009

Thank you all very much. I was debating the third example with a friend of mine. I had "at", but he showed me some novels that had "to". I wanted to make sure.

Thanks again.

Adagio · Aug 14, 2009

"She screamed from the top of her lungs" -- I've seen this form too.

IceCreamEmpress · Aug 15, 2009

Adagio said:
"She screamed from the top of her lungs" -- I've seen this form too.

That means something different.

"She screamed at the top of her lungs" means "she screamed as loudly as she possibly could."

"She screamed from the top of her lungs" would mean "she screamed in what singers call the 'top register,' her highest and least easily-supported voice."

Adagio · Aug 15, 2009

IceCreamEmpress said:
That means something different.

"She screamed at the top of her lungs" means "she screamed as loudly as she possibly could."

"She screamed from the top of her lungs" would mean "she screamed in what singers call the 'top register,' her highest and least easily-supported voice."

I didn't know the difference, so thank you very much. Learning, learning!

Adagio

ShadowChaser · Aug 15, 2009

Thank you all for your help. I wanted to make sure I was on the right track. I do not wish to abuse all your help, but I have one more question.

“on to” or “onto”.
I know that “onto” is a preposition: to a place or position on.
Ex: He placed the books onto the table.

And “on to” means proceeding to/continuing.
Ex: He held on to his gun.
EX: It is time to move on to our next test.

I felt that I had a good grip on the issue. Then I noticed that many novels, including some of the greats, use “onto” for holding or clutching.
“He held onto his gun.”
"She grabbed onto him.”

Is this the proper usage? I just want to make sure that I am using the right one.

Thank you all again for your help.
Cheers!

IceCreamEmpress · Aug 16, 2009

"Grabbed onto" is perfectly reasonable, because the person is a target of the grabbing (just as the table is the target of the book-placing). "I jumped onto the dance floor, and I grabbed onto Tom's arm."

I would edit "he held onto his gun" to "he held on to his gun" but I don't think it would bother me to see the former in a book.

ShadowChaser · Aug 20, 2009

Thanks for your help. I just wanted to make sure that I was using the right one.

Cheers,
R

at or to

ShadowChaser

~Kate~

brings the random.

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

~Kate~

brings the random.

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

~Kate~

brings the random.

ShadowChaser

Adagio

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Adagio

ShadowChaser

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

ShadowChaser