prepositions after "description"

[pinkie9]

My collocation dictionary lists only "of" as the preposition that can be used after the word "description".
How about other words, such as "about", "on" and "regarding"?

For example, in an e-mail to your coworker who asked you to proofread his document...

Perhaps you should delete the description of (on/about/regarding) your private life. I'm afraid it is a little inappropriate.

Thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

My collocation dictionary lists only "of" as the preposition that can be used after the word "description".
How about other words, such as "about", "on" and "regarding"?

For example, in an e-mail to your coworker who asked you to proofread his document...

Perhaps you should delete the description of (on/about/regarding) your private life. I'm afraid it is a little inappropriate.

Thank you.

In that context I would use "information about your private life". I wouldn't use "description".

 

[pinkie9]

In that context I would use "information about your private life". I wouldn't use "description".

Thank you. My example was not good.
Actually, I had this question when I looked at the collocation dictionary. I just thought "How about other words?" So, there is no context.
But we need to provide a context here, so I came up with the example. It is not easy for a non-native speaker to come up with a good example.

How about this?
Here is a brief description of (on/about/regarding) the program I told you about the other day. Please read it if you are interested.

What I'd like to know is whether "on/about/regarding" can be used after "description".

 

[5jj]

Here is a brief description of (on/about/regarding) the program I told you about the other day. Please read it if you are interested.

What I'd like to know is whether "on/about/regarding" can be used after "description".

No

 

[emsr2d2]

No. It's "description of".

 

[BobK]

:up: It is possible to interpret 'description', in some contexts, as 'a piece of text that describes'. So it's 'text that deals with...' or 'text about...', but it's still a description of something. You can't just take a collocate of one word and stick it with another that's used in a similar role.

b

 

[pinkie9]

Thank you!
So, it is always incorrect to say "description on/about/regarding", isn't it?

Sorry to be persistent, but I found the following example and many similar ones on the internet. Is it incorrect, too? I'm not doubting what you guys say, but I just wanted to completely understand.

If you are interested then please contact us by email at info@xxxxxxx.co.uk enclosing a recent CV and a brief description about yourself.

 

[emsr2d2]

That is poorly worded, in my opinion. It should either say "a brief description of yourself" or "a little information about yourself". Remember that just because you see something written somewhere, that doesn't necessarily mean it's correct.

 

[pinkie9]

That is poorly worded, in my opinion. It should either say "a brief description of yourself" or "a little information about yourself". Remember that just because you see something written somewhere, that doesn't necessarily mean it's correct.

Is "description about" a kind of mistake that could be made by a native speaker of English?
Or, is it a mistake that can hardly be made by a native speaker?

I don't think it's correct just because I see something written somewhere, but I'd like to make sure about it when I see an English phraze that seems to be incorrect but written in many British sites.
Thank you.

(Many Japanese people write "description about". So I'd like to be sure about it so that I can perfectly explain when I point out the mistake. I'm in the position in which I have to point out mistakes made by other Japanese people as much as I can.)

 

[emsr2d2]

Is "description about" a kind of mistake that could be made by a native speaker of English?
Or, is it a mistake that can hardly be made by a native speaker?

I don't think it's correct just because I see something written somewhere, but I'd like to make sure about it when I see an English phraze that seems to be incorrect but written in many British sites.
Thank you.

(Many Japanese people write "description about". So I'd like to be sure about it so that I can perfectly explain when I point out the mistake. I'm in the position in which I have to point out mistakes made by other Japanese people as much as I can.)

Any native speaker can make a mistake and we regularly do. I would say that it's entirely likely that a native speaker would say "description about". It's probably a very common usage but that doesn't make it right.

 

[pinkie9]

Any native speaker can make a mistake and we regularly do. I would say that it's entirely likely that a native speaker would say "description about". It's probably a very common usage but that doesn't make it right.

OK, so it's one of those "commonly used but incorrect" words. I see.
Thank you again.