For most Americans, the natural thing to say is “Climb down off of [pronounced “offa”] that horse, Tex, with your hands in the air”
It may be natural to say, but Tex is going to find in damned difficult to do.
I saw one source objecting to both "off of" and "out of" as in "He looked out of the window" rather than "out the window." Does anyone else find "out of" objectionable there? (Not I.)
I was going to say "Neither do I", but there is a distinction that can be made between "out of" and "out", which draws this into question.
"The bird flew out the window." (It was inside and then it exited the room via the window.)
"The bird flew out of the window." (Its flight originated in the window.)
I'm not sure if that makes sense, but if it does, a case could be made for "He looked out of the window" to be objectionable if you mean that He looked out the window. It would be OK if you meant that he had to take a look at (say) the garden and he did so by taking a look out of the window (as opposed to out of the door or by walking outside).
Edited by: shilgia, because a bird is an "it", not a "he".
#41 -- I don't think the bird thing makes sense. I think most native speakers would understand "the bird flew out of the window" to mean "the bird exited the room via the window."
And I'm afraid I don't understand the distinction you're trying to make between "He looked out the window" and "out of". Isn't he doing the same thing in the two cases you describe, looking from inside the room through the window at what's outside?
In any case, as I said above I think (though I'm not sure) that at least some of the people who say "The book fell off of the table" would also say "We dropped anchor five miles off Sandy Hook," making a distinction between direction of motion (off of) and location (off). So if you're right that a distinction in meaning between the forms with and without "of"makes "out of" correct (in some cases), "off of" might be justified the same way.
I don't think the bird thing makes sense. I think most native speakers would understand "the bird flew out of the window" to mean "the bird exited the room via the window."
I'm not sure either that it makes sense. And I agree that in normal conversation "the bird flew out of the window" to mean "the bird exited the room via the window" would not confuse anyone. I'm not sure I can explain what I mean, though. I'll think about it and try again if I come up with a better example.
Isn't he doing the same thing in the two cases you describe, looking from inside the room through the window at what's outside?
Yes, but the two phrases might be used in a different context, where one may want to draw attention to a different aspects of the looking.
I think the bird example depends where you are looking from. If you were in the room with the bird you might say "look, the bird flew out the window", but if you were outside the building you might say "look, a bird flew out of that window". Well, I would, anyway.
I think the bird example depends where you are looking from. If you were in the room with the bird you might say "look, the bird flew out the window", but if you were outside the building you might say "look, a bird flew out of that window".
Yes! Exactly!
Hmm. I'll have to think about that, but I don't think that's how it works for me. I'll have to get some birds and see what I say as they leave.
You might also say "look, the bird flew out the window" if you were outside, but you knew the bird and saw it escape through the window.
Here's one that may only work with "out of":
"There's water coming out of that tap." (Emphasis on what it's coming out of.)
I can't seem to explain what I'm trying to say, but here's another one:
"They walked out the door." vs. "There are people coming out of the building."
