Couple...couple of...

My money's on deterioration.

Maryn said:

My editor dinged me on every couple of in my manuscript, wanting that of out of there. I'm not sure if I'm remembering this accurately, but I think this was among the usages she noted as sounding like a person far older than the character who's narrating. (Which is the case. Just speak directly into the ear trumpet.)

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I sometimes leave "of" out and had an editor suggest I put it back in...

I think the sloppy usage has been around for a long time, but it used to be restricted, as noted in MW's discussion.

The adjective use of a couple, without of, has been called nonstandard, but it is not. In both British and American English it is standard before a word (as more or less) indicating degree <a couple more examples of Middle English writing — Charles Barber>. Its use before an ordinary plural noun is an Americanism, common in speech and in writing that is not meant to be formal or elevated <the first couple chapters are pretty good — E. B. White (letter)> <still operated a couple wagons for hire — Garrison Keillor>. It is most frequently used with periods of time <a couple weeks> and numbers <a couple hundred> <a couple dozen>.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/couple

Leaving out the "of" makes it colloquial. Putting "of" in makes it formal, and grammatically correct. Most people use "of", at least here in the States.

Maryn said:

My editor dinged me on every couple of in my manuscript, wanting that of out of there. I'm not sure if I'm remembering this accurately, but I think this was among the usages she noted as sounding like a person far older than the character who's narrating. (Which is the case. Just speak directly into the ear trumpet

Maryn, whose usage marks her as elderly now, yippee

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.)

Your editor where? That's one bad editor.

Maryn said:

My editor dinged me on every couple of in my manuscript, wanting that of out of there. I'm not sure if I'm remembering this accurately, but I think this was among the usages she noted as sounding like a person far older than the character who's narrating. (Which is the case. Just speak directly into the ear trumpet.)

Maryn, whose usage marks her as elderly now, yippee

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I got dinged by a critter for using "gewgaw". He said his image of the character's age went from 30 to 80. So I guess it is an important consideration when writing.

Nothing wrong with 'couple of' and I don't see it dates or ages any character at all.

In speech I assume the words 'couple of' are run together and can be heard as 'cupla', but to me, I'm another fussbucket and be it narrative or dialogue 'couple' minus the following 'of' is plain bad grammar.

Nymtoc said:

Recently, I see more and more instances of "couple" being used before a noun without "of."

"He ordered a couple hamburgers."
"She bought a couple books."
"We went there together a couple times."

I've always said "couple of." But I've become aware of the missing preposition a lot lately. In speech, maybe it's just sloppiness, but I've seen numerous examples in writing. Has usage changed? Could it have something to do with a deterioration of the language thanks to Twitter, Internet Speak, etc.? Or am I just being an old fussbudget?

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'Couple' sans 'of' is a god-dang Americanism, is what it is. I doubt it'd be encountered anywhere else in the English-speaking world. And even in the US of A, I'd suggest, it should be confined to appropriate dialogue, else you be taken for a damn fool.

apchelopech said:

'Couple' sans 'of' is a god-dang Americanism, is what it is. I doubt it'd be encountered anywhere else in the English-speaking world. And even in the US of A, I'd suggest, it should be confined to appropriate dialogue, else you be taken for a damn fool.

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Tarnation! 'Had to read that a coupla times to git it . . . Durn-tootin' truth, that is!

The only time I read "couple" sans "of" in narrative and considered it okay (or forgave it) was in the YA novel "Dairy Queen." The book is written in first person perspective and depicts a 15yo farm girl who fails English at school. I'm not sure if it was done on purpose to give it a colloquial feel. I haven't read the sequels and don't know if the narration changes as the MC progresses through school.

It would bother me if the "of" was left out. In dialogue it might be forgivable, or even necessary, depending on the character?

Then again, I'm Canadian. Maybe the "of" isn't as commonly dropped up here, eh? We're more likely to corrupt it into "a". "A couple a beers." "A couple a weeks." I wouldn't put that into dialogue though, and definitely not narration unless there were a lot of colloquialisms.

RosyMaylor said:

It would bother me if the "of" was left out. In dialogue it might be forgivable, or even necessary, depending on the character?

Then again, I'm Canadian. Maybe the "of" isn't as commonly dropped up here, eh? We're more likely to corrupt it into "a". "A couple a beers." "A couple a weeks." I wouldn't put that into dialogue though, and definitely not narration unless there were a lot of colloquialisms.

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Same here, in Australia. Especially with the beers

ajaye said:

Same here, in Australia. Especially with the beers

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After a couple of dozens of beers a couple more beers wouldn't make any difference, even without "of".

Jamesaritchie said:

.)

Your editor where? That's one bad editor.

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Yeah, no.

First of all, strongly voiced narrative--and it's clear from Maryn's comment that this is what is under discussion--is one of the modes of writing for which grammatical correctness is not the most important factor. Think of Huckleberry Finn, which is a strongly voiced narrative that flouts all kinds of grammatical and usage conventions because that's how the character talks. So no editor is "bad" for helping her to develop the voice in a strongly voiced narrative.

And secondly, more charity please. Or RYFPP (where those last words are Publishing Professional), if charity isn't your thing right now.

You don't need the 'of' in that last case of beers but you knew that, didn't you?

King Neptune said:

After a couple of dozens of beers a couple more beers wouldn't make any difference, even without "of".

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Bufty said:

You don't need the 'of' in that last case of beers but you knew that, didn't you?

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Especially not after the first case.