From
Common Errors in English, another non-error:
Lend vs. loan
Apparently I'm in the wrong here...
"Loan me your hat" was just as correct everywhere as "lend me your ears" until the British made "lend" the preferred verb, relegating "loan" to the thing being lent. However, as in so many cases, Americans kept the older pattern, which in its turn has influenced modern British usage so that those insisting that "loan" can only be a noun are in the minority.
I still think it sounds better to use "lend," but I'm obviously way outnumbered, so I'll quit making a big deal about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment