Re: OT: Questions or Doubts?
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>
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