Teacher Discussion Forums

I got into a discussion with a non-native English speaker who is a teacher. The non-native speaker teaches the children to say "switch off" the tv/light/computer, etc. I taught the students to say "turn off" the... When the students asked me if 'switch off' was incorrect, I told them that is wasn't, but most people will say turn off instead of switch off. The non-native English speaking teacher interjected and said that switch off was the correct word to use when referring to a TV or a light, while turn off was used for other things.

So which do you prefer - switch off, turn off, or something else? I have never heard of there being a different standard for different objects (light, TV, radio, etc), I just use the same phrase for everything - turn off. Am I alone in this?

As a middle class, British English speaker, I say that you can say either switch in/off or turn on/off for electrical things like lights, radios etc. For taps, use turn (since they aren't operated by switches.

For that matter, you can turn out a light as well.

Your NNS colleague is talking rubbish (and you can quote me on that). Is he/she. by any chance, one of these people who always needs one correct answer even when several are possible?

Just to add to the confusion, many people in Eastern Canada say, "Close the lights." I believe that they said that in English classes in my son's school in France too and perhaps they do it in Quebec more than anywhere else.

Interesting, Sally. I always say, "Turn off the lights." and the only place I've heard "Close the lights" is from English speakers of Chinese descent. (I think it's a translation.)

A few "turn offs" for you:

1 TURN OFF THE WATER 14 0.14
2 TURN OFF THE TAP 9 0.09
3 TURN OFF THE GAS 8 0.08
4 TURN OFF THE HEAT 7 0.07
5 TURN OFF THE TELEVISION 5 0.05
6 TURN OFF THE POWER 5 0.05
7 TURN OFF THE LIGHTS 5 0.05
8 TURN OFF THE BOILER 4 0.04
9 TURN OFF THE MAINFRAME 4 0.04
10 TURN OFF THE ROAD 3 0.03
11 TURN OFF THE ELECTRICITY 2 0.02
12 TURN OFF THE FUEL 2 0.02
13 TURN OFF THE MAINS 2 0.02
14 TURN OFF THE HEATING 2 0.02
15 TURN OFF THE PA 2 0.02
16 TURN OFF THE RADIATOR 2 0.02
17 TURN OFF THE PUMP 2 0.02
18 TURN OFF THE RADIO 2 0.02
19 TURN OFF THE SUNLIGHT 2 0.02
20 TURN OFF THE WIRELESS 1 0.01
21 TURN OFF THE TV 1 0.01
22 TURN OFF THE TRANSMITTER 1 0.01
23 TURN OFF THE TOURIST 1 0.01
24 TURN OFF THE TOP 1 0.01
25 TURN OFF THE TELLY 1 0.01
26 TURN OFF THE TAPS 1 0.01
27 TURN OFF THE TAPE 1 0.01
28 TURN OFF THE SWITCH 1 0.01
29 TURN OFF THE SUPPLY 1 0.01
30 TURN OFF THE STRESS 1 0.01
31 TURN OFF THE STOP vALVE 1 0.01

Source: BNC

And a few "turn offs":

1 SWITCH OFF THE LIGHTS 7 0.07
2 SWITCH OFF THE LIGHT 4 0.04
3 SWITCH OFF THE POWER 4 0.04
4 SWITCH OFF THE MACHINE 4 0.04
5 SWITCH OFF THE TELEVISION 3 0.03
6 SWITCH OFF THE COMPUTER 2 0.02
7 SWITCH OFF THE RADIO 2 0.02
8 SWITCH OFF THE RESPIRATOR 2 0.02
9 SWITCH OFF THE TAPE 2 0.02
10 SWITCH OFF THE VENTILATOR 2 0.02
11 SWITCH OFF THE TV 2 0.02
12 SWITCH OFF THE SYSTEM 2 0.02
13 SWITCH OFF THE WATER 1 0.01
14 SWITCH OFF THE VOLTAGE 1 0.01
15 SWITCH OFF THE VISIPHONE 1 0.01
16 SWITCH OFF THE STERILISER 1 0.01
17 SWITCH OFF THE TAP 1 0.01
18 SWITCH OFF THE TAIL 1 0.01
19 SWITCH OFF THE REFRIGERATOR 1 0.01
20 SWITCH OFF THE REASONABLENESS 1 0.01
21 SWITCH OFF THE PUMP 1 0.01
22 SWITCH OFF THE MUSIC 1 0.01
23 SWITCH OFF THE MOMENT 1 0.01
24 SWITCH OFF THE BOILER 1 0.01
25 SWITCH OFF THE ALARM 1 0.01
26 SWITCH OFF THE LIFT 1 0.01
27 SWITCH OFF THE LIFE 1 0.01
28 SWITCH OFF THE LAMPS 1 0.01
29 SWITCH OFF THE GRAMOPHONE 1 0.01
30 SWITCH OFF THE FOUNTAIN 1 0.01


Source:BNC

I think this teacher may be being both pedantic and prescriptivist but doesn't seem to have explained why they taught what they did (or at least, you haven't explained that.) It is possible that we are statistically more likely to use the forms that the teacher said but that does not make the other forms wrong.

There are at least three devices for powering off electrical equipment - switches, buttons and knobs. Generally, switches have a rocker motion, buttons have an in-out motion and knobs have a rotary motion.

The exception to this is a dimmer switch which clearly has a rotary motion.

My guess is that this teacher may either not have their ideas fully formed or may be thinking that "switching off" requires one to use a switch which is switched into the off position whereas "turning off" requires one to turn a knob into the off position.

This is not the way it works in English.

Also interesting is the fact that switch off can be used intransitively but turn off can't.

Example
When I see one of fluffy hamster's posts I just switch off.

Metal's switch off the tap example appears to contradict what I said earlier. Oh well.

Not convinced by switch off the moment - the phrase probably got cut off too soon. I guess I could think of a context for turn off the tourist but it might be rather unsavoury.

When I see one of SJ's sarcastic posts I get really really turned on, even if it's aimed at me. Excuse me while I go fluff my fluffy bits.

Weren't the first TVs the turn-the-knob type?

metal56 wrote:Weren't the first TVs the turn-the-knob type?

Yes, they were but more importantly, so were most of the the first mass produced amplified radios* which is ultimately where we get the expression.

*The very first were crystal sets and ran under the power of the radio waves they received. That is to say, there was nothing to turn off unless you count pulling the cat's whisker away from the crystal. (Don't think hamster whiskers work.)