A quick question. Which one would be more idiomatic to say? To flag down a taxi or to flag a taxi down? Or does it matter? Comments are welcome.
flag down a taxi..or flag a taxi down
- Thread starter comsci
- Start date
Hi Comsci,comsci said:
There may be lots of regional variations, so take this as just
one northeastern US opinion: In order of frequency--
Flag down a cab
Hail a cab
Flag down a taxi
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Flag
I've in fact searched the web for further reference to this phrasal verb, and the result turned out to be half-half. In the source above it gives "Please flag a taxi down for me" as an example. Plus I've heard from an Aussie friend of mine saying the same. That's why I raised the question here. When it comes to regional variations, it's especially hard to distinguish from right and wrong, at least to my ears.
I said "flag down a cab/taxi" but my Aussie friend said back to me "you mean flag a taxi/cab down"? That's when the confusion kicked in.
I've in fact searched the web for further reference to this phrasal verb, and the result turned out to be half-half. In the source above it gives "Please flag a taxi down for me" as an example. Plus I've heard from an Aussie friend of mine saying the same. That's why I raised the question here. When it comes to regional variations, it's especially hard to distinguish from right and wrong, at least to my ears.
I said "flag down a cab/taxi" but my Aussie friend said back to me "you mean flag a taxi/cab down"? That's when the confusion kicked in. In the UK we hail a cab or a taxi.
"Flag down a taxi" is heard occasionally; I don't think I've heard "flag a taxi down".
Regards,
LRV
"Flag down a taxi" is heard occasionally; I don't think I've heard "flag a taxi down".
Regards,
LRV
Hail Victoria, I thank you for your double confirmation.
http://www.multiplay.co.uk/columns.asp?m=view&id=135&uid=29
If you search for the word "down", you'd find another example stating "flag a taxi/cab down." I wonder why this has been the way it is.
If you search for the word "down", you'd find another example stating "flag a taxi/cab down." I wonder why this has been the way it is.
comsci said:
LRV
comsci said:http://www.multiplay.co.uk/columns.asp?m=view&id=135&uid=29
If you search for the word "down", you'd find another example stating "flag a taxi/cab down." I wonder why this has been the way it is.
Hail Comsci!
You have to remember that this is someone's personal blog; he is using his own particular style of writing.
You woul be understood if you said "flag a taxi down".
I've just typed "flag something down" into Google and found this. I hope this will console you.
Regards
LRV
flag down someone/something
To signal someone or something to stop by waving.
A police officer flagged us down to check our vehicle registration and date of inspection.
I guess it doesn't matter after all or maybe it's people's preference or style of speaking that's all.
To signal someone or something to stop by waving.
A police officer flagged us down to check our vehicle registration and date of inspection.
I guess it doesn't matter after all or maybe it's people's preference or style of speaking that's all.
My most sincere thanks to you both, Victoria and cuchu.
If "flag a taxi down" is preferred in Australia, it would make sense coming from the people who sing, "Tie me kangaroo down, mate!"
I'll double check with that Aussie friend of mine on this one. In the meantime, we shall wait for a skippie to comment.
I might flag a taxi.
I would not flag it down - why down?
Once upon a time we would hail a taxi.
Now we call a taxi (by phone).
I would not flag it down - why down?
Once upon a time we would hail a taxi.
Now we call a taxi (by phone).
Just my guess, but taxis have/had a small flag on their meter. When a passenger entered the taxi the flag would be pushed down engaging the meter and signalling to other would be customers that the taxi was occupied. The flag, I suspect, may have originally been real - a piece of cloth on a stick, that was used to show availability. When you "flag" the taxi "down", you are using the taxi.comsci said:http://www.multiplay.co.uk/columns.asp?m=view&id=135&uid=29
If you search for the word "down", you'd find another example stating "flag a taxi/cab down." I wonder why this has been the way it is.
Either of the flag down examples sounds fine to me, though I usually say I'm going to grab a cab.
For panjandrum:
From the American Heritage Dictionary:
flag down Signal to stop, as in The police were flagging down all cars. This expression uses the verb flag in the sense of "catch the attention of, as by waving a flag," a usage dating from the mid-1800s; down was added in the first half of the 1900s.
For panjandrum:
From the American Heritage Dictionary:
flag down Signal to stop, as in The police were flagging down all cars. This expression uses the verb flag in the sense of "catch the attention of, as by waving a flag," a usage dating from the mid-1800s; down was added in the first half of the 1900s.
Flags are still used by traffic cops in some cities of the world today. When the flag is help up (upright above the head) the cars are free to move. When the flag is held down (extended at a right angle from the body) the cars must stop.mariposita said:
panjandrum said:
People in London still can.
LRV
Both are used in BE, but, to my ears, "Flag down a taxi" sounds slightly higher register, the "down" immediately following the verb.
It has do with phrasal verbs, and I guess that's what comsci is asking. In this case both ways are acceptable. "Flag down" is one of those phrasal verbs that admit the object before or after the adverb –or preposition–.
Go out and flag down a taxi.
Go out and flag a taxi down.
Go out and flag down a taxi.
Go out and flag a taxi down.
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Does 'flag down' imply that a vehicle stops? In other words, if you flag down a taxi, does it always mean it stopped?
Yes, I think so. Otherwise we'd say "I tried three times to flag down a taxi, but the drivers didn't stop."