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Grammar Geeks - So Tell Me....

Which of the two sentences is correct grammar and why? And is there evidence to prove why?

A. Information can be found at our website.
B. Information can be found on our website.

I tend to use the word "at"... To me, a website is a place where one would find information. For example... You find information in a book, on Fox News, at a website. You log on to a website, but it is there at which you read the information.

I am constantly corrected on this grammar thing on marketing reports, brochures or correspondence that I write. I've accommodated the boss's request for change in verbiage... but I'm still thinking AT is right and ON is wrong, but I'm not 100% certain. I haven't found the grammatical rule supporting this.

What do you think or know to be true?

Thanks, Guys... and a personal update to be blogged soon, I promise. I have much spewing and philosophizing stuff to purge to y'all. Hope you are well!

7 comments:

Roger D. Curry said...

In my opinion, the people who are constantly correcting you on this issue need to get themselves a fucking hobby or take up drinking heavily, as they have too much time on their hands. In the alternative, they might consider doing useful work.

R

schell said...

Personally, I like "on" better. Not that I have any grammatical merit to back it up, I just think it sounds better...like you saw something "on" tv....because you're looking at the information on a screen.

Jilly said...

i don't care really about "at" or "on". I've nevi HATE it when people spell things wrong ot use multiple punctuation marks to make a point. Typing "!!!!!" makes one look stupid. I've never heard or seen a rule about "on" or "at." It is not mentioned in the APA, MLA, Covey or Chicago citation books I own.

It's stupid to spell a word like "respect" with a "k." I do not shop at stores where the name is spelled wrong. It doens't make a cute point, it makes our society stupid. I can say this for certain because the kids I work with see this incorrect spelling and think it's correct.

Moreover, when it comes to petty questions of style, like the "on" and "at" fight, I find that people who nitpick like that do so because they have nothing else to do and want to assert themselves as the big dog in the realtionship by forcing you to change something.

think about it, you cannot argue against the change, because you don't know of a rule to support your side (neither do they, but that's besides the point) but if you point out that there is no rule, you look petty. They have it made. They get to force you to make a change, imply you're wrong/stupid, and you can't do a damned thing about it but smile and say you'll change it. A big power play over "on" or "at."

Jilly

Roger D. Curry said...

Jilly, dearest, please watch your spelling!!!!! It bothers me sooooo mutch!!! And capitalization, that to!! There's rules about everything. Follow the rules. I never follow a different drummer. However, I'll be damned if I know who's beating the drum I'm following.

No will of his own,
R

doreenmary said...

Jilly, I thought about what you said that such debate is for folks having nothing better to do or those is some sort of power play and I could totally see how that seems likely.. I had to take a hard look within to see if either were true with me. And,well, sick F*ck I am, I guess... I just really, really, really like words and sentences and try to get it right so I can be a better writer/teacher. That's my M.O., even after self reflection. I know. I know.. What a Geek I am. Thanks for sharing something controversial and compelling, Jilly... I had to think about it hard. D

mavis sidebottom said...

Id go for on you say on the web not at the web

Anonymous said...

It's simple really. It can not be "at" because that denotes it is a physical place. My transmission meeting up to your web space happens in orbit non-space or what some media idiots keep calling cyber space.

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