[Vocabulary] to sign up vs to join up

[caesar1983]

How do you use these two verbs when meaning to enroll?

- Why did you choose to join up/sign up the gym?
- I want to join up/ sign up an English course.

Does a native speaker use them with the meaning of "to enroll on a course or a gym or an exam?

Do they have the same meaning? If they don't, what's the difference?

Thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

How do you use these two verbs when meaning to enroll?

- Why did you choose to join up/sign up the gym?
- I want to join up/ sign up an English course.

Does a native speaker use them with the meaning of "to enroll on a course or a gym or an exam?

Do they have the same meaning? If they don't, what's the difference?

Thank you.

You can "join a gym", you can "join an English class", no "up".

I wouldn't use "sign up" at all in your examples.

 

[caesar1983]

and what kinds of activities would you use "sign up" for?

As far as "join up"is concerned, I have heard a dialogue between two British native speakers, both in a gym and one of them has asked the other: Why have you decided to join up (the gym, "I suppose"). Why do you think it's not correct using "up"? Is this just a difference between American and British English, or is it any slang? thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

and what kinds of activities would you use "sign up" for?

As far as "join up"is concerned, I have heard a dialogue between two British native speakers, both in a gym and one of them has asked the other: Why have you decided to join up (the gym, "I suppose"). Why do you think it's not correct using "up"? Is this just a difference between American and British English, or is it any slang? thank you.

"Why did you decide to join up?" is fine. "Why did you decide to join up the gym?" is not.

 

[caesar1983]

"Why did you decide to join up?" is fine. "Why did you decide to join up the gym?" is not.

So, "up" just without the place or the thing a person joins?

and in what context would you use "sign up"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Why did you decide to join this gym?
Why did you decide to sign up to this gym?
Why did you decide to join up [here]?

For reasons I can't quite fathom myself at the moment, we would use "sign up to the gym" but not "join up to the gym" (and definitely not "join up the gym").

For me, "to join up" has military connotations. People say they have "joined up" when they have joined one of the armed forces. We sign up to websites, gyms, newsletters, training courses, schools, companies etc.