Teacher Discussion Forums

A student of mine took a test at his company to check his level of English and on his feedback sheet there is a remark saying that he wasn't supposed to say I'm not on duty but instead I'm off duty.

A fast googling showed me lots of entries for I'm off duty, but on a daily basis (and pragmatically speaking) is it acceptable to say I'm not on duty?

Thanks

José

I'm not sure if I'd say I'm not on duty were unacceptable, but I suppose that its more obvious negative could indeed have negative pragmatic consequences (which might explain the results you Googled - people avoid stating the proposition "negatively"? (Or simply the extra syllable "needed", at least) >). But a lot would depend on how things were said - somebody who snarled they were off duty would hardly sound better than someone who politely insisted that they weren't on duty, would they!

I don't see any difference. What consequences? Being less direct, I would have thought that "not on duty" would tend to be more polite if anything.

Maybe I should have said 'but I suppose that the negative could leave the hearer with not quite as good a subconscious impression', Woody, but I'm fully prepared to admit that whatever difference in whatever could be so slight as to have no discernible consequences at all. I'm not sure though that the negative should be defined as 'less direct' (less direct in what way? The important thing is that 'I'm off duty' is as simple and unambiguous as you can get - a more lexical rather than grammatical opposite to 'I'm on duty'*), and what still of the appreciably higher ratio (over 3:1) of 'I'm off duty' generally? (BTW Jose, 'I'm not on duty' seems to often be in subordinate clauses, following e.g. when, if etc).

*Compare the definitions with what is actually being defined in say the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary: on duty working; liable to be called upon to go into action. off duty not on duty. (The definition is perfectly clear and logical, but usually not quite what we actually say).

I'd like to help you on this but, as I'm not on duty tonight, I'm unable to.....or should that read I'm not able to? The mind boggles sometimes!

Do you like your glass of water half-full or half-empty?