'met up with' and 'met'

[Tilly2]

I had an interesting period of time today with a student who could/would not see the superfluousness of 'met up with' over 'met'.

Just out of interest, do you see a difference between the two?
I was trying to point out that 'met' is perfectly acceptable. and 'met up with' is two words too many.

[flobadob]

The former would be pre-arranged, the latter by chance.

[Tilly2]

No, I didn't. I had no reason to.

[NOX]

You are actually very brief in your own speech Tilly, I notice, so perhaps it's simply a preference of yours to be economical with words, whereas maybe the rest of us don't feel that way. I'm not sure why there is all this arguing and moralising and desperate need to be ' right'- it's simply a matter of taste, surely you can see that?

[Tilly2]

Nox, I can be as verbose as the next man but why use one word when none will do?

[NOX]

Because it is most people's choice Tilly. Humans are by nature a communicative species who enjoy talking ,chattering, colouring their speech with local variation and interesting word choices- to be honest being brief is just dull and boring to listen to and ought not to be encouraged in our young.

[Tilly2]

As I said earlier, it was clarity not brevity I was looking for.

[jake-the-peg]

//As I said earlier,//

Is earlier not superfluous?

[NOX]

Yes. (lol)

[Tilly2]

Is it ? Can you tell me why?

[NOX]

Because ' As I said' would have sufficed ;-)

[Tilly2]

I might have said it last year. Earlier clarifies it, I think.

At what stage should we declare a truce? I have to go out for a while but we can carry on when I get back.

[Svejk]

You mean 'I'm off, talk later.'


This could run & run.

[jackthehat]

I travelled to a family wedding at the weekend.

Using your method, I could say,
"There I met my parents, aunts and cousins and the groom and his family."

However, using your student's method, I could say,
There I met up with my parents, aunts and cousins and met the groom and his family."

Which tends to (correctly) suggest that I had no prior knowledge of the groom and his family and this was our first introduction.....and doesn't need any additional clarification.

[Smowball]

Lol, not sure it was meant to be but this is an amsing thread. Is that too many words??

BTW, agree with all earlier posts - 'met up with' suggested pre-arranged and 'met' suggests chance encounter.

[THECORBYLOON]

I bet the hours must fair fly by at your place, eh Tilly?

[NOX]

I think Tilly has issues with people who don't agree with her Corby and this will run and run until everyone is so bored that they can no longer be bothered to discuss the matter further with her, because she's clearly just going to shout down any opposition and accuse us all of arguing with her. lol

[elliemay1]

In you original statement, Tilly, you said that, "met up with" is two words too many. All I want you to admit is that it depends on the context and that the words "up with" are NOT ALWAYS superfluous. Otherwise why would it be defined in the dictionary? Please do not dodge the issue this time.

[Tilly2]

Nox, I have not shouted at anyone.
Ellimay, I have answered you and talked about the context.

I seem to have morphed into The Wicked Witch of the West. How did that happen?

[Charity]

You're wrong.
Admit defeat.
Move on.

[Psybbo]

Tilly, my love, come away xx