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> Your phrasing might be more logical, but the phrasing that the page currently has is the phrasing that sounds best to native speakers' ears. I disagree. I a

by teej 18y ago

> Your phrasing might be more logical, but the phrasing that the page currently has is the phrasing that sounds best to native speakers' ears. I disagree. I ask a favor OF someone. I ask a question TO someone.

calambrac 18y ago
I think "Ask a question of" and "Ask a question to" are both wrong. Why not just "Ask Cyberdyne Customers a Question"?
- mdemare 18y ago
  Calambrac's correct, nobody uses the first two forms, as google will tell you. But why not? This is actually a very interesting question. You'd say "Cyberdyne Customers" is an indirect object. I give Cyberdyne Customers a cookie. I give a cookie to Cyberdyne Customers. I ask Cyberdyne Customers a question. *I ask a question to Cyberdyne Customers. Why is the last form incorrect? What rules apply here? If you're interested in questions like this, I can recommend Steven Pinker's "The Stuff of Thought" ( http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Thought-Language-Window-Nature/dp/0143114247 http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Thought-Language-Window-Nature/d... )
drewcrawford 18y ago
I disagree. While both are grammatically sound, "of you" sounds better to the native ear. This is largely due to repetition (humans tend to process language probabilistically, almost as if language were merely a series of Markov chains). Ponder, for a moment, these famous lines: "Christine, that's all I ask of you." - Andrew Lloyd Weber "Nor would I ask of any fellow American in defense of his freedom that which I would not gladly give myself - my life before my liberty." - Manchurian Candidate "And ask of you forgiveness; and so we’ll live," - Shakespeare (King Lear) These classic lines have made their mark on our culture and/or the English language. The notable exception to this is when "to" is used to show cause, i.e. The student asked permission [in order] to go to the bathroom The man asked a question [in order] to understand the answer
gruseom 18y ago
I ask a question TO someone. Not in English you don't.

by teej 18y ago

calambrac 18y ago

I think "Ask a question of" and "Ask a question to" are both wrong. Why not just "Ask Cyberdyne Customers a Question"?

mdemare 18y ago
Calambrac's correct, nobody uses the first two forms, as google will tell you. But why not? This is actually a very interesting question. You'd say "Cyberdyne Customers" is an indirect object. I give Cyberdyne Customers a cookie. I give a cookie to Cyberdyne Customers. I ask Cyberdyne Customers a question. *I ask a question to Cyberdyne Customers. Why is the last form incorrect? What rules apply here? If you're interested in questions like this, I can recommend Steven Pinker's "The Stuff of Thought" ( http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Thought-Language-Window-Nature/dp/0143114247 http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Thought-Language-Window-Nature/d... )

drewcrawford 18y ago

I disagree. While both are grammatically sound, "of you" sounds better to the native ear. This is largely due to repetition (humans tend to process language probabilistically, almost as if language were merely a series of Markov chains). Ponder, for a moment, these famous lines: "Christine, that's all I ask of you." - Andrew Lloyd Weber "Nor would I ask of any fellow American in defense of his freedom that which I would not gladly give myself - my life before my liberty." - Manchurian Candidate "And ask of you forgiveness; and so we’ll live," - Shakespeare (King Lear) These classic lines have made their mark on our culture and/or the English language. The notable exception to this is when "to" is used to show cause, i.e. The student asked permission [in order] to go to the bathroom The man asked a question [in order] to understand the answer

gruseom 18y ago

I ask a question TO someone. Not in English you don't.