What does off mean?????????????????????

G'day Royce, I agree with you on that, My big beef is when people use the "then" when they should use "than" and visa versa.
Damien

Royce, architects tend to number things like that in their documentation - not sure where it comes from. Probably some old tradition that no one remembers the origin of anymore... perhaps something like numbering off?!

Probably worth just messaging him and asking what he means. That way you get the truth straight from the horses mouth.

It's a throw back to a different era. My first job was in a glazing business back in the early eighties. Plenty of old timers would order "2 off 300 X 300mm" etc .Most of the now retired glaziers would write multiple sizes down the same way.
Lots of plans from Architerrorists would be noted the same way.
Don't see it quite so often now, but it's hard to stop writing it that way when drummed into you as a young lad.

I consider one of the most annoying desecrations of grammar as the use of 'these ones' - initially used be media in the eastern states and now wide spread. I was always trained to use the correct/appropriate word when communicating (helps prevent mis-understanding and confusion).
What's so difficult about 'This one' 'That one' if more than one 'these'

Instead of 'these ones' referring to numerous cars, the correct grammar would be 'these cars' or 'those cars'. Placing the letter 's' onto the end of the word 'one' does not, never has nor never will make it into a plural word (more than one).

My other gripe relates to the use of ye/no or no/yes in the same context. So many sports people when interviewed answer a question with yes/no or comment with yes/no. Since when did a positive (yes) and a negative (no) ever go together in constructing an intelligent statement. Perhaps most are rugby players hence no need for intelligence in any comment they may make.

One of my biggest gripes is the use of the word got.

As in I have got 6 eggs. We have got coming up as most Tv presenters say

Why got I have 6 eggs is enough. We have, coming up etc..

You can say I went to the shop and got some eggs, then you have them.

Better to say I went to the shop and bought some eggs.

My old English teacher would smack us on the knuckles with a ruler if we used got in a sentence when it wasn't required.

Also I seen an old Holden the other day.

I SAW an old Holden the other day.

DUEL batteries. Are they fighting DUAL thank you.

There are several people not THEIR

They're going away. Not there going away or their going away.

Don't they teach English any more.

As far as this thread is concerned I would suggest that 4 of is more correct as he is selling an item not getting something made.

Cheers

And yet you misspelled 'etc'.

lol :-)

Dose any off yous gise no how tuh spel p-e-n-d-a-n-t-i-c plese!!!/?

lol

If a bloke is selling a set of 4wd tyres.... it's advertized as 4 "off"

Off what??!!


Maybe you stopped reading too quick and he was writing "4 off -- road tyres"

:-)

Hi Royce,
I know it sounds a bit odd but from my experience it's an engineering come quantity surveying type terminology.

It certainly lacks ambiguity, anyone who reads it knows exactly your intended quantity.

4 off 250 x 250 x 6 window glass is less ambiguous than,

4 x 250 x 250 x 6 plate steel!
Which is the quantity and which is the dimensions? Do you want 250 pieces of steel 250 x 6 x 4 or 6 pieces of steel 250 x 250 x 4 or 4 pieces of steel 250 x 250 x 6?

Geoff

I must admit I'm finding it very amusing to view all these posts. Everyone is correcting each other on their mistakes or using this post to have their gripe on the use of the English language and nearly all these people have stuffed something up themselves. LOL!!!

Their/There/They're

Then/Than

Crotch/Crutch

This could go on forever.

Follow the advice of a previous poster and ring the dude selling the "4 off" tyres and ask him!!!