andrew.kimmel@gmail.com
“By” denotes agency; “on” signifies placement. “By accident” means the agent was random input. ‘“On accident” is devoid of meaning unless “accident” is a place or process. “ I went by train” vs. “I went on a train.”
This is really bugging me. Please vote and explain your reasoning!
#PrepositionalAccident
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That explanation rocks. I still prefer “accidentally.”
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My ears grate at both.
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I can not explain why “by accident” is correct but “on accident,” I’m pretty sure, is just a mistake kids make because they’re thinking about “on purpose.”
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Reasoning? "By accident" is correct. "On accident" is not.
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