Does one resign their office, or resign from office?
Stylistically, is it more appropriate to use it in the transitive, or intransitive way? Merriam-Webster has examples in both cases.
In Nixon's resignation speech, he says
"Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow"
using "the Presidency" as the object of "resign" without a predicate. This feels clunky. Would it also be correct to say
Therefore, I shall resign from the office of president effective at noon tomorrow
Which style is preferred?
grammar writing-style
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
add a comment |
Stylistically, is it more appropriate to use it in the transitive, or intransitive way? Merriam-Webster has examples in both cases.
In Nixon's resignation speech, he says
"Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow"
using "the Presidency" as the object of "resign" without a predicate. This feels clunky. Would it also be correct to say
Therefore, I shall resign from the office of president effective at noon tomorrow
Which style is preferred?
grammar writing-style
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
if it is in MW both ways ...
– lbf
2 days ago
I'm more curious about style. Sure it means the same thing, but what's more pleasing to read, or what situation would you use either use in. ie is one more formal than the other
– Zaya
2 days ago
What's more pleasing? is subjective. There is no single answer that can be given. Different people will have different opinions.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
Stylistically, is it more appropriate to use it in the transitive, or intransitive way? Merriam-Webster has examples in both cases.
In Nixon's resignation speech, he says
"Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow"
using "the Presidency" as the object of "resign" without a predicate. This feels clunky. Would it also be correct to say
Therefore, I shall resign from the office of president effective at noon tomorrow
Which style is preferred?
grammar writing-style
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
Stylistically, is it more appropriate to use it in the transitive, or intransitive way? Merriam-Webster has examples in both cases.
In Nixon's resignation speech, he says
"Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow"
using "the Presidency" as the object of "resign" without a predicate. This feels clunky. Would it also be correct to say
Therefore, I shall resign from the office of president effective at noon tomorrow
Which style is preferred?
grammar writing-style
grammar writing-style
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
asked 2 days ago
ZayaZaya
4268
4268
if it is in MW both ways ...
– lbf
2 days ago
I'm more curious about style. Sure it means the same thing, but what's more pleasing to read, or what situation would you use either use in. ie is one more formal than the other
– Zaya
2 days ago
What's more pleasing? is subjective. There is no single answer that can be given. Different people will have different opinions.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
if it is in MW both ways ...
– lbf
2 days ago
I'm more curious about style. Sure it means the same thing, but what's more pleasing to read, or what situation would you use either use in. ie is one more formal than the other
– Zaya
2 days ago
What's more pleasing? is subjective. There is no single answer that can be given. Different people will have different opinions.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
if it is in MW both ways ...
– lbf
2 days ago
if it is in MW both ways ...
– lbf
2 days ago
I'm more curious about style. Sure it means the same thing, but what's more pleasing to read, or what situation would you use either use in. ie is one more formal than the other
– Zaya
2 days ago
I'm more curious about style. Sure it means the same thing, but what's more pleasing to read, or what situation would you use either use in. ie is one more formal than the other
– Zaya
2 days ago
What's more pleasing? is subjective. There is no single answer that can be given. Different people will have different opinions.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
What's more pleasing? is subjective. There is no single answer that can be given. Different people will have different opinions.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Either usage would be valid, depending on your rhetorical purpose and personal preference.
The most obvious difference between the two is whether you are using resign as a transitive or intransitive verb. Both mean giving up a position. As a transitive verb, resign takes the position being resigned from as the object. As an intransitive verb, the prepositional phrase beginning with from may be used to describe the position being resigned.
So there's a slight shift of emphasis:
- using the transitive verb, the office is more directly connected to the action as a predicate. To rephrase in the passive, the presidency is resigned.
- using the intransitive verb, the office is less directly connected to the action in a prepositional phrase. Someone resigns - without changing the prepositional phrase into a direct object, there is no way to make that passive.
More variation is also possible with the intransitive form, since one could either resign from a position or an organization. Compare this real example using an intransitive verb with a hypothetical one using a transitive:
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign from the state board.
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign their position on the state board.
In this case, the transitive verb requires specifying what position is being resigned, and this will be longer if the position has no convenient or easily-recognizable title.
Summarily, you could select either usage based on how concise the resulting sentence is, how it specifies a position or organization, or for an arbitrary preference for a transitive or intransitive form.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
add a comment |
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Either usage would be valid, depending on your rhetorical purpose and personal preference.
The most obvious difference between the two is whether you are using resign as a transitive or intransitive verb. Both mean giving up a position. As a transitive verb, resign takes the position being resigned from as the object. As an intransitive verb, the prepositional phrase beginning with from may be used to describe the position being resigned.
So there's a slight shift of emphasis:
- using the transitive verb, the office is more directly connected to the action as a predicate. To rephrase in the passive, the presidency is resigned.
- using the intransitive verb, the office is less directly connected to the action in a prepositional phrase. Someone resigns - without changing the prepositional phrase into a direct object, there is no way to make that passive.
More variation is also possible with the intransitive form, since one could either resign from a position or an organization. Compare this real example using an intransitive verb with a hypothetical one using a transitive:
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign from the state board.
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign their position on the state board.
In this case, the transitive verb requires specifying what position is being resigned, and this will be longer if the position has no convenient or easily-recognizable title.
Summarily, you could select either usage based on how concise the resulting sentence is, how it specifies a position or organization, or for an arbitrary preference for a transitive or intransitive form.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
add a comment |
Either usage would be valid, depending on your rhetorical purpose and personal preference.
The most obvious difference between the two is whether you are using resign as a transitive or intransitive verb. Both mean giving up a position. As a transitive verb, resign takes the position being resigned from as the object. As an intransitive verb, the prepositional phrase beginning with from may be used to describe the position being resigned.
So there's a slight shift of emphasis:
- using the transitive verb, the office is more directly connected to the action as a predicate. To rephrase in the passive, the presidency is resigned.
- using the intransitive verb, the office is less directly connected to the action in a prepositional phrase. Someone resigns - without changing the prepositional phrase into a direct object, there is no way to make that passive.
More variation is also possible with the intransitive form, since one could either resign from a position or an organization. Compare this real example using an intransitive verb with a hypothetical one using a transitive:
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign from the state board.
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign their position on the state board.
In this case, the transitive verb requires specifying what position is being resigned, and this will be longer if the position has no convenient or easily-recognizable title.
Summarily, you could select either usage based on how concise the resulting sentence is, how it specifies a position or organization, or for an arbitrary preference for a transitive or intransitive form.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
add a comment |
Either usage would be valid, depending on your rhetorical purpose and personal preference.
The most obvious difference between the two is whether you are using resign as a transitive or intransitive verb. Both mean giving up a position. As a transitive verb, resign takes the position being resigned from as the object. As an intransitive verb, the prepositional phrase beginning with from may be used to describe the position being resigned.
So there's a slight shift of emphasis:
- using the transitive verb, the office is more directly connected to the action as a predicate. To rephrase in the passive, the presidency is resigned.
- using the intransitive verb, the office is less directly connected to the action in a prepositional phrase. Someone resigns - without changing the prepositional phrase into a direct object, there is no way to make that passive.
More variation is also possible with the intransitive form, since one could either resign from a position or an organization. Compare this real example using an intransitive verb with a hypothetical one using a transitive:
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign from the state board.
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign their position on the state board.
In this case, the transitive verb requires specifying what position is being resigned, and this will be longer if the position has no convenient or easily-recognizable title.
Summarily, you could select either usage based on how concise the resulting sentence is, how it specifies a position or organization, or for an arbitrary preference for a transitive or intransitive form.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
Either usage would be valid, depending on your rhetorical purpose and personal preference.
The most obvious difference between the two is whether you are using resign as a transitive or intransitive verb. Both mean giving up a position. As a transitive verb, resign takes the position being resigned from as the object. As an intransitive verb, the prepositional phrase beginning with from may be used to describe the position being resigned.
So there's a slight shift of emphasis:
- using the transitive verb, the office is more directly connected to the action as a predicate. To rephrase in the passive, the presidency is resigned.
- using the intransitive verb, the office is less directly connected to the action in a prepositional phrase. Someone resigns - without changing the prepositional phrase into a direct object, there is no way to make that passive.
More variation is also possible with the intransitive form, since one could either resign from a position or an organization. Compare this real example using an intransitive verb with a hypothetical one using a transitive:
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign from the state board.
In the event that any board member changes residence outside of the district from which elected, such member promptly shall resign their position on the state board.
In this case, the transitive verb requires specifying what position is being resigned, and this will be longer if the position has no convenient or easily-recognizable title.
Summarily, you could select either usage based on how concise the resulting sentence is, how it specifies a position or organization, or for an arbitrary preference for a transitive or intransitive form.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,016216
2,016216
add a comment |
add a comment |
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if it is in MW both ways ...
– lbf
2 days ago
I'm more curious about style. Sure it means the same thing, but what's more pleasing to read, or what situation would you use either use in. ie is one more formal than the other
– Zaya
2 days ago
What's more pleasing? is subjective. There is no single answer that can be given. Different people will have different opinions.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago