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  EDline Vol. 8, no. 77   (1 September 2003)

  Editorial mailing list (digest version)
  Published by the Electric Editors
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  Contents:

         Q & A
  [2yj]  Usage: "on / at (the) weekends"?

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---[2]-- Q & A --------------------------------------------------

         Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003
         From: Sue Innes, sueinnes@pacificcoast.net

Jo Allen wrote:

> I am looking for authority on whether it's "on the weekend" "on
> weekends" OR "at the weekend" "at weekends"

I hear "on the weekend" more commonly here in Canada, though as
an ex-Brit, I would never say it.

N. Americans also say "on Christmas," which I find really hurts
the ears.


         ----------------------
         Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003
         From: Jo Allen, jo@last-word.net

Many thanks out there - it does seem that all the British agree
with 'at' and the others go for 'on' - I did actually find "at
the weekend" under 'week, weekend' in the Times style guide so
there is some authority.


         ---------------------
         Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003
         From: Joy Burrough, burrough@bos.nl

Coincidentally, just before the EDline Digest reached me, I was
checking on UK versus US difference in preposition usage. The
on/at the weekend difference is one of the examples given by Orin
Hargraves (on p. 51) in his excellent "Mighty Fine Words and
Smashing Expressions: Making Sense of Transatlantic English"
(Oxford University Press, 2003). According to Hargreaves, "on the
weekend" is the form Americans prefer. 

Nice to get an even broader (incl. antipodean!) view from
EDliners.


         ----------------------
         Date: Mon, 1 Sept 2003
         From: Derry Cook-Radmore, wordsmith@clara.co.uk

Robert Ritter wondered whether Canadians used "on" or "at the
weekend". The three Canadians I've known well all said "on". I,
being a Brit, of course use "at" --- though I suspect that may be
becoming a generational thing; one hears "on the weekend" so
frequently on American TV shows here that's it's sounding less
and less strange, and getting used more often.


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