Kafka: jumped off

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Marius Hancu - 28 Oct 2009 14:39 GMT

Hello:

Is "off" really necessary in
"they jumped off after their friend?"

What does it contribute?

---
[Mr. Samsa's evicting a trio of tennants.]

At that, and without delay, the man actually did take long strides
into the front hallway; his two friends had stopped rubbing their
hands some time before and had been listening to what was being said.
Now they jumped off after their friend as if taken with a sudden fear
that Mr. Samsa might go into the hallway in front of them and break
the connection with their leader.

Kafka, Metamorphosis
Tr. David Wyllie
---
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Roger Burton West - 28 Oct 2009 14:44 GMT

>Hello:
>Is "off" really necessary in
>"they jumped off after their friend?"
>What does it contribute?

I believe this may be "to jump off" meaning "to make a swift start"
rather than something involving actual saltation.

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Roger BW - BrE

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Marius Hancu - 28 Oct 2009 14:46 GMT

On Oct 28, 9:44 am, Roger Burton West <roger
+aue200...@nospam.firedrake.org> wrote:

> >Is "off" really necessary in
> >"they jumped off after their friend?"
> >What does it contribute?
>
> I believe this may be "to jump off" meaning "to make a swift start"
> rather than something involving actual saltation.

OK.

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Mark Brader - 30 Oct 2009 05:31 GMT

Marius Hancu:

> Is "off" really necessary in
> "they jumped off after their friend?"

Yes.

| Now they jumped off after their friend as if taken with a sudden fear
| that Mr. Samsa might go into the hallway in front of them and break
| the connection with their leader.

...

> What does it contribute?

"Jumped" by itself would be literal, e.g. if their friend had just
dived into a swimming pool and they jumped into the water. "Jumped
off" could also be literal, but not here -- it just means they got
started rapidly.

Signature

Mark Brader "Poor spelling does not prove poor knowledge,
Toronto but is fatal to the argument by intimidation."
msb@vex.net -- Gene Ward Smith

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Marius Hancu - 30 Oct 2009 12:48 GMT

> > Is "off" really necessary in
> > "they jumped off after their friend?"
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> off" could also be literal, but not here -- it just means they got
> started rapidly.

Ah, interesting.

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / October 2009

Kafka: jumped off