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On Accident vs By Accident

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  • 09-07-2019 9:49am
    #1
    BrokenArrows
    Registered Users Posts: 7,500 ✭✭✭


    Ive noticed a recent and increasing pattern of people saying "On Accident" instead of "By Accident". Why is this happening?

    I knocked over the coffee on accident.

    I knocked over the coffee by accident.

    On accident vs By accident 187 votes

    On Accident
    98% 185 votes
    By Accident
    1% 2 votes


«134

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    #2
    Bigbagofcans
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭Bigbagofcans


    I have yet to hear anyone say 'on accident', fortunately.


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    #3
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    BrokenArrows wrote: »
    Ive noticed a recent and increasing pattern of people saying "On Accident" instead of "By Accident". Why is this happening?

    I knocked over the coffee on accident.

    I knocked over the coffee by accident.

    First abomination comes from American English usage, like on the weekend and thankfully not frequent. The 2nd one would be accepted as being most correct.


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    #4
    Bob Harris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,462 ✭✭✭Bob Harris


    It's 'by'. Just another example of how language changes or takes on new meanings, 'reach out' and 'absolutely' being obvious examples.


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    #5
    Autecher
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭Autecher


    It's an American thing. "I didn't do it on purpose, I did it on accident".


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    #6
    Standman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,681 ✭✭✭Standman


    Autecher wrote: »
    It's an American thing. "I didn't do it on purpose, I did it on accident".


    Just shows how language often isn't logical. There's no reason why "on purpose" should be ok while "on accident" isn't, other than everyone's got used to the former.


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    #7
    suicide_circus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    On purpose

    By accident


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    #8
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Bob Harris wrote: »
    It's 'by'. Just another example of how language changes or takes on new meanings, 'reach out' and 'absolutely' being obvious examples.
    It's also how not teaching grammar allows bad grammar take hold.


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    #9
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    BrokenArrows wrote: »
    Ive noticed a recent and increasing pattern of people saying "On Accident" instead of "By Accident". Why is this happening?

    There's a reasonable explanation here. You can talk about evolution of language or the Americanisation of the world. The actual reason, however, is because they are absolute f*cking idiots.


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    #10
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,309 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    They also "lay down" or do a lot of things "purposefully" - which is a word, but not the way it gets used


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    #11
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    bluewolf wrote: »
    They also "lay down" or do a lot of things "purposefully" - which is a word, but not the way it gets used

    Don't forget that they play with "Legos" instead of Lego.


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    #12
    corner of hells
    Registered Users Posts: 8,363 ✭✭✭corner of hells


    These threads are becoming unpossible.


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    #13
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Addicting is one that pisses me off no end.


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    #14
    mad muffin
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭mad muffin


    Bigbagofcans wrote: »
    I have yet to hear anyone say 'on accident', fortunately.

    Dito


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    #15
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    It's been a slippery slope since stupid people started using been when they should be using being.


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    #16
    amcalester
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,121 ✭✭✭amcalester


    should of would of could of


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    #17
    Bob Harris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,462 ✭✭✭Bob Harris


    BrownFinger wrote: »
    Addicting is one that pisses me off no end.

    Instead of addictive?


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    #18
    fieldofsheep
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭fieldofsheep


    My own pet hate - when people say they'll 'revert' to you instead of saying they'll get back to you.  Double points if they say they'll 'revert back' to you.  :angry:


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    #19
    Penfailed
    Registered Users Posts: 7,503 ✭✭✭Penfailed


    bluewolf wrote: »
    They also "lay down" or do a lot of things "purposefully" - which is a word, but not the way it gets used

    That's creeping in over here. So is, "I was sat..." instead of, "I was sitting..."

    Gigs '24 - Ben Ottewell and Ian Ball (Gomez), The Jesus & Mary Chain, The Smashing Pumpkins/Weezer, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Stendhal Festival, Forest Fest, Electric Picnic, Ride, PJ Harvey, Pixies, Public Service Broadcasting, Therapy?, IDLES(x2)



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    #20
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Penfailed wrote: »
    That's creeping in over here. So is, "I was sat..." instead of, "I was sitting..."
    It's always existed. It's just non-standard grammar in the northern part of England. I always feel a need to correct that!


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    #21
    AudreyHepburn
    Registered Users Posts: 5,673 ✭✭✭AudreyHepburn


    By accident or accidentally


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    #22
    Penfailed
    Registered Users Posts: 7,503 ✭✭✭Penfailed


    is_that_so wrote: »
    It's always existed. It's just non-standard grammar in the northern part of England. I always feel a need to correct that!

    My point was that it's creeping in over here too.

    Gigs '24 - Ben Ottewell and Ian Ball (Gomez), The Jesus & Mary Chain, The Smashing Pumpkins/Weezer, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Stendhal Festival, Forest Fest, Electric Picnic, Ride, PJ Harvey, Pixies, Public Service Broadcasting, Therapy?, IDLES(x2)



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    #23
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,638 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    I agree its annoying too, but we use plenty of non standard grammar here too due to the influence from Irish.. we also use some no longer accepted grammar from English, such as ye. Of course some folk will will tell you it's wrong.. but wrong according to whom? English has no regulated control body afaik. Why is ye no longer acceptable?


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    #24
    NickNickleby
    Registered Users Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭NickNickleby


    amcalester wrote: »
    should of would of could of

    I would of said that too, but you got their before me. Definately.

    I need a shower.


    As you know, my master's work was the very epitome of accurate and beautifully crafted writing. (although sometimes a sentence can read like a mathematical formula, but he's still my hero.)


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    #25
    branie2
    Registered Users Posts: 10,298 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    By accident is the correct term


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    #26
    mcmoustache
    Registered Users Posts: 7,236 ✭✭✭mcmoustache


    Bigbagofcans wrote: »
    I have yet to hear anyone say 'on accident', fortunately.

    I think it's a yank thing.


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    #27
    marcbrophy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,441 ✭✭✭marcbrophy


    Who's the wanker that voted "On accident"? :P


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    #28
    764dak
    Registered Users Posts: 1,847 ✭✭✭764dak


    marcbrophy wrote: »
    Who's the wanker that voted "On accident"? :P

    Maybe he or she did it by accident.


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    #29
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,174 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    In the olden days, when people communicated by letter, their lack of grammar and spelling abilities would be shown up only to the recipient. Now everyone's creative approach to English is communicated to the world online, to the extent that 'correct' grammar and spelling is becoming extremely hazy and people are picking up bad habits.

    It is considered bad manners on-line to correct someone else's English, and oddly (not really) this one aspect of manners and courtesy is respected where otherwise anarchy reigns. Language changes and evolves, fair enough. However, the errors seep into formal writing, news reports, and ultimately legal documents. Many of the common errors, for example, confuse words that mean the opposite to each other. Either accept or except can be correctly used in a sentence, but one will mean exactly the opposite to the other, and could have catastrophic results. Look how much of an issue a single comma has caused in the American constitution.

    Rain, reign, rein are all different words. One of them is used incorrectly in Boards' rules and regulations - we keep telling them but it hasn't been changed. If they can be used interchangeably why not spell it rane and save ourselves a lot of bother?

    The only consolation is that when the current aging crop of people who were actually taught English grammar finally dies out, someone will have invented a computer program that can construct non-ambiguous sentences. Won't that be fun? Who needs literature and poetry?


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    #30
    Up Donegal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,236 ✭✭✭Up Donegal


    'On accident'...whoops!, I meant 'by accident!'


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    #31
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    looksee wrote: »
    .

    It is considered bad manners on-line to correct someone else's English,

    Only by people who dont want to see their poor grammar highlighted. :)


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