Quote:
Originally Posted by wyndslash
And while we're on the subject of grammar, I wasn't aware that the phrase "waiting on" was correct. English isn't my first language (though I'm better at it than my mother tongue). I've been seeing this phrase used a lot more often recently and I wonder why people won't just use "waiting for". An explanation would be great  |
In American English, "waiting on" refers to what a waiter in a restaurant, a servant, etc., does: They wait on you. They're probably not actually waiting as in not doing anything else (though I have some questions about certain restaurants where their "waiters" wait far too much, and serve far too little). "Waiting for" refers to what a person awaiting another person does, such as
Waiting For Godot (for those unfamiliar with it, it's a famous play). It's a difference between sitting by a roadside hoping some dude will show up versus serving him his dinner.
That said, "waiting on" seems to be creeping in to take the place of "waiting for". It may be something from some regional variant of English, it may be simple misunderstanding or ignorance, or people may actually like it better that way. I'm not sure. But I've seen "I'm waiting on Fred" when it should be "I'm waiting for Fred", which introduces ambiguity in what should be a simple, unambiguous statement. No, you're not giving Fred his dinner or tying his tie; you're awaiting his arrival.