Oliver Elphick wrote: > On Fri, 2004-08-20 at 14:46, William Ballard wrote: > >>My pet peeve is "take a decision" vs. "make a decision". Great >>Britains, Old Europe, New Europe, Asia and the Third World all say "take >>a decision" when they speak english. We never use that in America. > > > Comment from England: Rubbish! "Take a decision" is rare and sounds > odd. The phrase is "take the decision" followed by an infinitive > expressing what was decided; it is a more verbose synonym of "decide". > It is usually transitive, whereas "make a decision" is usually > intransitive. I make a decision; I will make a decision; I may make a > decision. I made a decision; I took the decision to do something. > > >>"Take a decision" is so passive; it implies studying what my options >>are, holding my nose, and choosing one. "Make a decision" is much more >>American -- we'll just invent the option we want and then take that one. > > > As in Iraq...
Here in Australia, many of us agree on both points. :-) -- Paul <http://paulgear.webhop.net> -- War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses. -- Thomas Jefferson <http://www.quotedb.com/quotes/1770> -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
