We sat opposite (to) each other.

[probus]

Again for the benefit of learners, OTT is an abbreviation for over the top. We really should avoid such abbreviations.

 

[Phaedrus]

You really ought to stop using Google search for this kind of thing. It claimed to give me 644 results, though when I scrolled down I found only 34, nine of which were for The LXX. has φ υλακὴ κατέναντι φυλακῆς; the Vulgate custodia contra custodiam; implying that Hosah’s warders were stationed opposite to each othe., and fifteen forAnd the Philistines and Hebrews being at this time hotly engaged in war, as the armies were stationed opposite to each other, a certain man of the Philistines named Goliath, a man of marvelous size and strength, passing along the ranks of his countrymen, cast insults, in the fiercest terms, upon the enemy, and challenged any one to engage in single combat with him.

We can keep going till we find a verb phrase which withstands your witch-hunting and attempts to burn the results at the stake.

The fact is, however, that I had your and Using English's moderator condemnation of "opposite to" by the jugular with the Quirk et al. citation.

Feel free to do your en gram charts if it will make you happy. I bitterly regret that Google Books no longer displays search-return numbers.

Comparing "located opposite each other" with "located opposite to each other," I see a contrast of 103,000 to 75,000. Let the witch-hunt begin!

 

[5jj]

Phaedrus, I have at no time made any negative comments about your views on this preposition, or of anything in Quirk or the OED. There is no 'witch hunt'. I have merely pointed out the inadequacy of Google search numbers; x hits for a certain phrase might, on analysis, show x citations claiming that the phrase is incorrect.

 

[5jj]

Again for the benefit of learners, OTT is an abbreviation for over the top. We really should avoid such abbreviations.

I don't agree, though we should perhaps explain them when we use them. OTT is widely used, and learners need to know this.

 

[Phaedrus]

Phaedrus, I have at no time made any negative comments about your views on this preposition, or of anything in Quirk or the OED.

It must have been a gross misimpression on my part, then, that the extended quotations in your Posts #8 and #20 were indented to promote ridicule of my thorough refutation of ems's incorrect claim in Post #2; and it will be admitted on all sides now that "opposite to" is grammatical in both its possible senses, even if you and moderators here dislike it.

 

[5jj]

I give up. I'm off to watch some paint dry.

 

[Phaedrus]

I'll take that as a concession of defeat.

 

[Phaedrus]

Adding "to" to all those sentences would make them ungrammatical.

Would you care to admit that you were mistaken in asserting this, ems? It's the intellectually responsible thing to do. Perhaps you'd rather "like" Piscean's paint-drying comment.

 

[emsr2d2]

No. I won't admit that at all. If any student (or anyone else) gave me the original sentences with "to", I would strike it out and mark the original as wrong. I'm not interested in what might or might not be "intellectually responsible". I'm interested in helping learners here to use natural English.

I'll concede that "opposite to" is possible in other contexts but this thread was (and should still be) about the examples in post #1.

 

[Phaedrus]

No. I won't admit that at all.

Amazing. You won't admit that you were wrong to say that those examples would be ungrammatical with "to" added.

I'm not interested in what might or might not be "intellectually responsible". I'm interested in helping learners here to use natural English.

You asserted that it would be ungrammatical (not merely unnatural-sounding to you) to add "to" to those examples, and you have been proven wrong.

I'll concede that "opposite to" is possible in other contexts but this thread was (and should still be) about the examples in post #1.​

This thread is indeed about those examples. Let's look at them again:

-They sat opposite each other.
- I parked the car opposite the bank.
- There's a nice park opposite my hotel.
- The people sitting opposite us looked very familiar.
- You'll see it on the wall opposite the door.
- Some soldiers fought opposite their fathers, brothers, or other family members.

In each example, "opposite" has the sense of "facing." Now look again at the quote from Quirk et al. from Post #13:

"Opposite means 'facing' and has optional to:

Her house is opposite (to) mine." (p. 680)

- Quirk, Randolf, et al. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman, 1985.

It follows that it would be grammatical to add "to" to the examples in the OP, whether you will admit it or not, and regardless of whether you find it natural. You were wrong.

 

[GoesStation]

This thread is no longer productive, so I'll close it here.

 

[Tdol]

Could we calm down a bit- language is important, but not that important.