Is it off or of?upid

ChrisJSY said:
Wow. :eek:
Let me get this straight, you make copies of something and you say [numerical] copies off [item]?
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I sent some drawings off to prototype build yesterday

Parts number XXXXX 3 OFF.

Easy.

I can understand the confusion though as it took me a while to get familiar with using a word that is grammatically 'incorrect'. Its a way of clarifying on bills of materials etc that the number relates to a quantity rather than finish or paint code etc.
 
I work for an engineering firm.

There are two types of 'off' commonly encountered. One for describing quantities, and one for telling someone to sling their hook, i.e. **** off. :p

I believe it just means off the machine/line/stock quantity etc.
 
jwest said:
Everyone in my office, when there talking about quantities say "7 off" or when it's written down, they would write 11 off for example. Surely its 15 of, as in 15 of something.

Now to me that sounds retarded, is it possible they are all stupid? Or is it that I have been saying it wrong my whole life.

Also it is not just in my office, people seem to be doing it everywhere, it just doesn't make sense.
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Is it there or their,sorry just saying,i will leave now.
 
I always thought it was 'of' but I do the IT for a property refurb/maintenance company and they use 'off' in quotes and requirements. I did query it when I first came across it, but it seems to be used in their industry.
 
Jokester said:
We use "off" in the context of material take offs, such as 7 off widgets for example.
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For Quantities the term "off" does come from a material take off, but you could also call it a bill of material, which is the other way round.

For quantities I have always used off. Engineering background, and ground into me literally over the years.
 
A firm receive an order for 20 thingings, they can only make 5 at a time, each time they make 5 they are taking them off the production list so its 5 off. Delivery can only deliver two at a time so every time they take two off the delivery list....
 
So, essentially, using off is just shorthand for "off the shelf" (could be drill press, bench or anything else an item may sit on)

It is technically incorrect grammar if not understood to be a contraction of a whole sentence, but because of the context the contraction is implied?

^I have no idea if that makes sense but thats how i now understand it^
 
or a call-off, i.e. when placing an order - it would be correct usage then...

So if like in my business customers reserve an amount for the year, and will ring up and ask for "x off their reserve"
 
People's ignorance to the world outside of their own annoys me. :rolleyes:

I work for a metal manufacturer and we supply various industries not limited to, but including engineering, fabrication, automotive, filtration, construction etc etc.

All of these market sectors use the term 'off' when clarifying quantative requirements.

i.e. please may I order 5 off metal plates.

For the non-believers, get back to your public-sector, red-tape wrapped, tax consuming token job roles. :cool:
 
G4ORCE said:
People's ignorance to the world outside of their own annoys me. :rolleyes:

I work for a metal manufacturer and we supply various industries not limited to, but including engineering, fabrication, automotive, filtration, construction etc etc.

All of these market sectors use the term 'off' when clarifying quantative requirements.

i.e. please may I order 5 off metal plates.

For the non-believers, get back to your public-sector, red-tape wrapped, tax consuming token job roles. :cool:
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In that example, off and of are both incorrect unless the metal plate is specifically an 'off-metal' plate.
 
Mat said:
In that example, off and of are both incorrect unless the metal plate is specifically an 'off-metal' plate.
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No. Millions of people who work within such sectors will disagree, that extends to our European and American colleagues also.

Youre trying to apply English language to industry terminology. I'm sure theres non-sensical terminology from other indsutry sectors that could also be queried.

The argument here however, is that 'off' is wrongly used in place of 'of', which it isnt. That is the answer to the OPs question.

/thread.
 
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