Expressions for "turn on & off," etc.

[Constantine]

I saw a movie with a friend the other night (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, which we both enjoyed (if that is the word for such a sad story)). I mentioned a scene in which a thoughtless hospital employee "shuts" the television, unaware that the protagonist, paralyzed and unable to speak. was watching it.

My friend said that she had never heard of anyone "shutting" a TV, but only "turning it off" (an expression I also use). I also "open" and "shut" (or "close") lights (or "turn them on" and "off" (or "put them out")). As for televisions or appliances, though I "shut" them, I do not "open" or "close" them, for some reason. I always "turn them on." I might also "shut them off," which is redundant, of course.)

Are these New York expressions or could they be carryovers from my grandparents' Greek language? Anyone know?

[william]

Constantine:

I am a Brooklyn born boy and have used (and still do) all of the expressions you mentined in your post.

Never thought of them as New York or Brooklynese but now that you bring it up, perhaps they are. I thought everyone spoke that way.

[Yooper]

I'm just as likely to "shut off" as "turn off", but I always "turn" on and never "open" on. I guess a television has to be "opened" in order for it to be "shut". I'm from the Midwest, so "shut" isn't necessarily confined to Brooklyn. I've heard the expression "make out the lights" used on more than one occasion, and "snap the lights on" referring to a wall switch. Come to think of it, what are we "turning" these days? Most electronic devices such as televisions have buttons for on and off. We ought to be "pressing" or "pushing" both on and off!

[Constantine]

I'm just as likely to "shut off" as "turn off", but I always "turn" on and never "open" on.!

I never "open on." I just "open," and only lights, not appliances (unless they can be literally opened).

[1bigsteve]

The English (England) use the term "shut" a lot. They don't say the store is "closed" they say it's "shut." I do hear the term "shut off the TV" or "shut off the stove" but never "shut the TV" or "shut the stove." It's always "shut off the stove."

"Shut" is often used in rocket and jet engine verbology. When the Apollo 13 was making a corrective course change by manually burning the main engine, Jim Lovell gave his crew the command to "shut down" the engine at a precise moment rather than "turn it off."

Jim Lovell to crew: "I got it, I got it, OK shut down!

Jim Lovell: "Houston we have shut down.

Houston: "Roger that. You have shut down.

Of course there is also "shut your mouth" rather than "close your mouth." But my mom always used, "Steve, shut your head."

"Shut the hood"
"Shut the door"
"Shut the window"
etc.

-1bigsteve (o:

[Yooper]

I can understand where English might be a difficult language to learn. Who knows where some of the expressions come from? Is ""shut down" the opposite of "shut up"? "Shut" make sense as the result of having been "closed". Part of the problem is adding a preposition to a verb, such as the current propensity to "change something out". Why not simply change it?

[shakiboo]

Well this is interesting! Here in the mid west, anything that can be turned on can be shut off. Like in...Don't forget to shut off the light, or even, I left the car running will you go shut it off? The television can be turned on and shut off, or turned on and turned off. Shut off and turned off can be interchangable most of the time, except when it refers to opening or closing something (literally) like opening or closing windows or doors, then it's not. Your right Yooper, English is very confusing! lol

[Constantine]

As for televisions or appliances, though I "shut" them, I do not "open" or "close" them, for some reason. I always "turn them on."

Only last night, my sister, finding the cooking odors overpowering, asked me to "open" the fan. She also spoke of "closing" the TV! Perhaps my memory is playing some tricks on me about my own usage (something like listening to one's voice on tape and hearing the local accent we thought we didn't have)!