Come On Over To

[wertyy]

"Pickups line the highway as the townsfolk come on over to observe Ray round off the pitcher's mound, pour the lines of lime, mount floodlights and bleachers."

In dictionaries, I could find "come on" and "come over to", but not "come on over to". What does "come on over to" mean?

[5jj]

Pretty much the same as 'come over to'.

[wertyy]

"on" adds nothing at all to "come over to"?

[5jj]

Not really. It may perhaps sound a bit more folksy and informal.

[wertyy]

Not really. It may perhaps sound a bit more folksy and informal.

Does that mean that "come on over to", in place of "come over to", is a slang phrase?

[5jj]

No.

[wertyy]

"come on over to" is equivalent to "come over to" in meaning, but the former is regional in usage?

[Barb_D]

If you'll note, he said it was "folksy." That's a great way to describe it.

It's not regional, it's not slang, and it's not wrong. However, it's not formal. It's the way "plain folks" talk to each other, in a friendly way.

[wertyy]

If you'll note, he said it was "folksy." That's a great way to describe it.

It's not regional, it's not slang, and it's not wrong. However, it's not formal. It's the way "plain folks" talk to each other, in a friendly way.

Would "come on over to" be allowed in a paper for a college freshman writing class?

[Barb_D]

I think you need to ask a professor of a freshman English class.

In my opinion, when describing something as small-town as gathering to watch someone strip a baseball field, it makes perfect sense in the context. But then, thank the dear Lord, I do not have to grade freshman papers.