think of/about

[bartholomew]

My eternal problem:

I am thinking of/about getting a new job.

English is not my first language and I have never known what is the difference?

[Xollob]

Both are gramatically correct, and if there is a difference, I would say that thinking of is more a statement of intent: "I intend to get a new job". Thinking about is more vague: "I wonder if I should get a new job".

[Clanad]

In my opinion, there are many phrasings of words with very similar meanings in the English language that, for all practical purposes, are the same. This use of of/about is one of those. There is a vague, undefined difference, I suppose, in that thinking "of" something implies a generalized end results. That is, to think of could mean, "maybe I will, maybe I won"t", whereas thinking "about" something gives a sense of a more immediate action in a deffinite direction, such as "thinking about a specific job offer"...

[Clanad]

Sorry, Xollob, you weren't there when I started... great minds and all that...

[Clanad]

I think we've generally confused bart by now... Oh, well, such is the English language...