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Off and on

(38 Posts)
Baggs Mon 27-Jun-22 12:13:17

There's a teensy weensy idiomatic difference between these uses but , as others, have said, if it's only meaning you're after, what the whatever? ?

Baggs Mon 27-Jun-22 12:11:57

I do a bit of temari making off and on.

The rain has been on and off all day.

Baggs Mon 27-Jun-22 12:10:46

Oldnproud

I say on and off, but the other way round doesn't bother me, as it still makes sense - unlike my DH's use of far and few between instead of few and far between.

"Far and few, far and few are the lands where the Jumblies live" ?

annodomini Mon 27-Jun-22 12:07:02

As long as my listener knows what I mean, what on earth does it matter? As it happens, I'd normally say 'on and off'; 'fork and knife' would sound odd to me, but I'd understand the speaker. So what?

Oldnproud Mon 27-Jun-22 11:42:44

Juliet27

On and off (you can’t have off first if nothing’s on?)

Knife and fork

But what if you are talking not about rain, but about the lights in your house? If they suddenly start to flicker, they must have been 'on' in the first place, and the first indication of a problem is their going off, then on ... ?

Beechnut Mon 27-Jun-22 11:37:32

On and off, knife and fork, few and far between for me.

Juliet27 Mon 27-Jun-22 11:31:38

On and off (you can’t have off first if nothing’s on?)

Knife and fork

Oldnproud Mon 27-Jun-22 11:31:22

I say on and off, but the other way round doesn't bother me, as it still makes sense - unlike my DH's use of far and few between instead of few and far between.

Baggs Mon 27-Jun-22 11:28:45

My phone's weather app says I can turn on notifications "when rain or snow is starting or stopping" near me.

Baggs Mon 27-Jun-22 11:26:07

on and off

or showery

Wheniwasyourage Mon 27-Jun-22 11:20:28

I have always said "on and off", but I suppose it is optional.

Just to add to the confusion, I say "knife and fork", but DH says "fork and knife". grin

Shandy57 Mon 27-Jun-22 10:59:33

I say off and on. Perhaps it's a regional thing? I'm a Londoner.

Greta Mon 27-Jun-22 10:58:48

When rain has been forecast my computer tells me "Rain off and on". I'm sure we say "on and off". Am I right or wrong or is it optional?