is this sentence right

silviasabater_2000 · #1 (**permalink**) 22-Nov-2006, 00:08

Hi there,

I just would like to know if the following sentence is correct

"People should worry for themselves and not for other people"

Thanks

riverkid · #2 (**permalink**) 22-Nov-2006, 01:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by silviasabater_2000

Hi there,

I just would like to know if the following sentence is correct

"People should worry for themselves and not for other people"

Thanks

Yup, it's fine, Silvia.

RonBee · #3 (**permalink**) 22-Nov-2006, 01:34

Say:

People should worry about themselves and not about other people.

riverkid · #4 (**permalink**) 22-Nov-2006, 01:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonBee

Say:

People should worry about themselves and not about other people.

"People should worry for themselves and not for other people"

You may well be right about Silvia's intent, Ron, but the two sentences have different meanings.

RonBee · #5 (**permalink**) 22-Nov-2006, 03:00

Admittedly, I haven't done much research into it, but in the few instances of "worry for" that I have seen "worry" is a noun and not a verb.

Wired News: Source of Worry for Microsoft
Source of Worry for Microsoft

With more than $32 billion in sales last year, Microsoft doesn't usually worry about losing one customer.

InfoWorld Tech Watch | InfoWorld | Oracle move a worry for Red Hat | October 25, 2006 03:24 PM | By Neil McAllister
Oracle move a worry for Red Hat

Don't call it Oracle Linux! The database vendor won't be packaging its own distribution of the open source OS, but Oracle CEO Larry Ellison announced at Oracle OpenWorld this afternoon that his company will be offering full support for Linux under a new "Unbreakable Linux" campaign.

Chicago Tribune news | Registration
New worry for Sox fans: Handling life at the top

There will be nothing more to worry about for South Siders who have made worrying as involuntary as blinking.

Salt Lake Tribune - College merger spells worry for tech schools
College merger spells worry for tech schools

The College of Eastern Utah soon will merge with the Southeast Applied Technology College, much to the ire of many technology college stakeholders.

MiamiHerald.com | 11/10/2006 | Shootout drought a worry for Panthers
Shootout drought a worry for Panthers

Wushu: Ankle injury a worry for Eng Chong
Wushu: Ankle injury a worry for Eng Chong

Macular Degeneration a Worry for Aging Americans - AOL News
Macular Degeneration a Worry for Aging Americans

Corruption a Worry for 75% of Global Citizens: Angus Reid Global Monitor
Corruption a Worry for 75% of Global Citizens

I did find one instance of "worry for" in which "worry" is used as a noun, thus:

Q&A: Benazir Bhutto on Pakistan's Future - Newsweek: World News - MSNBC.com
‘I Worry for Pakistan’s Future’
After a decade in exile, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is itching to get back into politics—and fearful of militant Islam’s growing influence.

~R

riverkid · #6 (**permalink**) 25-Nov-2006, 03:11

Google has a number of examples of 'worry for themselves'

Results 1 - 10 of about 93 English pages for "worry for themselves"

But again, the meaning is different.

"Don't worry for me" allows us to say "Allow me to do my own worrying about my own problems".

Changing it to 'about' doesn't allow us that potential meaning.

I think that you'd agree that a greater volume of use for one collocation over another doesn't preclude the availablilty of the less common one.