Head for the Museum

@nm23,

No difference.

There's also "head out for . . .'

These are idioms using the word "head" when it means to start the journey.

1 Reply

@PUNKEY,

Thanks

0 Replies

@nm23,

In American English there is a difference.

We would head to the museum. We would head for the hills.

The difference is that the museum is a specific point that we will reach. The hills are a generalization. If you said you were going to "head for the bar" after work, it would sound wrong.

2 Replies

@maxdancona,

maxdancona wrote:

In American English there is a difference.

We would head to the museum. We would head for the hills.

The difference is that the museum is a specific point that we will reach. The hills are a generalization. If you said you were going to "head for the bar" after work, it would sound wrong.

Quote:

Veteran recounts fleeing from Germans in World War II ...
https://www.mississippivalleypublishing.com/.../article_b02ad336-cca5-5008-8aaa-00...
10 Nov 2000 - We were looking through the hay and saw two German armored cars head for the plane at a high rate of speed.

Quote:

Weightless Wildcats - University of Kentucky
https://web.engr.uky.edu/~ssmith/ndrl/vipers_desi.html
Jim and Ron and the DESI experiment in reduced gravity, March 16, 1999. Patrick and Andrew head for the plane; Ron issued his flight suit; Jim and Ron report to the ground crew

Quote:

Hundreds of motorists head for the car wash - Delawareonline.com
www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/01/31/car-wash-head/5092571/
31 Jan 2014 - If you get the notion today to try to get some of that caked-on road crud off of your car, bring a book....

Quote:

Austin, Texas - Travel Counsellors
https://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/lizzie.adamson-brown/profile-blog/austin,texas
10 Jun 2014 - Finally, it was time to head for the airport with our new found friends, to head for home! What I must say is, this has been the most awesome trip of my life

Quote:

History - Catalina Island's Airport Restaurant
www.catalinadc3.com/history/
Sue got up at 3 in the morning of opening day to head for the airport to get a bit organized.

1 Reply

@centrox,

These threads are interesting, because the way that normal people talk always follow any set of rules. I am assuming that the OP is interested in talking like a native speaker.

- The first example is an interesting one. The plane is a military target. I would use "head for" in this case.

- I can't explain the rule for the second example. That is the correct American usage; I would say "head for the plane" rather than "head to the plane" in that context. I don't know why other than "that's the way we would say it".

- The third example is in the same class as "head for the hills".

- The fourth example seems wrong to me... but not to the point that it would stand out.

Again, I assume that the point of these threads is for English language learners to understand how native speakers use the language... not to come up with set rules from a book.

I spent a summer in Guatemala to learn Spanish and I encountered this in the other direction. I came with a book knowledge of Spanish; a memorized set of rules. In Guatemala I had a one on one tutor. There were many times where in the sake of learning how Spanish was actually used I had to unlearn the systematic rules from the book.

2 Replies

@maxdancona,

Quote:

If you said you were going to "head for the bar" after work it would sound wrong.

Not to me. It indicates going to the bar which most coworkers frequent. Otherwise, a bar name would be supplied.

If it was said "head to the bar", I'd figure there was only 1 bar in the entire town.

I suppose it varies according to location.

1 Reply

@Sturgis,

I agree, although I would probably say "'head to the bars." I always hit every damn bar in town if that what it takes to find some Babe who wants to go home with you, ya know?

0 Replies

@maxdancona,

What Centrox was pointing out was that your analysis was off. This was confirmed by Sturgis. There are obviously nuances we all follow but your description didn't accurately describe one for AmE.

0 Replies

Which explains why Arnie muttered "Get to the chopper" thereby avoiding the implicit over-kill in "Head for the chopper".

1 Reply

@laughoutlood,

Quote:

Which explains why Arnie muttered "Get to the chopper" thereby avoiding the implicit over-kill in "Head for the chopper".

What overkill? Both sentences have four words.

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@maxdancona,

Why didn't you just man up, max, instead of dissembling as you have?

1 Reply

@camlok,

Geeze Camlok, if you are willing to draw knives about this-- I really didn't know this topic was so important to you. Here you go, is this what you want?

2 Replies

@maxdancona,

Humor alert.

Quote:

Geeze Camlok, if you are willing to draw knives about this-- I really didn't know this topic was so important to you. Here you go, is this what you want?

As camlok's business manager, I am here to inform you that he has accepted your offer of submission under one condition: that you either head to the nearest thread exit, or head for the nearest thread exit; it doesn't matter which. Camlok has graciously assumed a flexible position on this.

Camlok has also authorized me to inform you that there are two reasons for his not wishing to draw knives about this.

1. He would require only one knife--and maybe not even that--to get his point across.

2. He fully understands that people draw knives over things, and not about things.

0 Replies

@maxdancona,

Max, you were simply wrong.

I can't explain the rule for the second example. That is the correct American usage; I would say "head for the plane" rather than "head to the plane" in that context. I don't know why other than "that's the way we would say it".

If you were willing to think about this, deeply, you might be able to figure it out, thereby not giving out false advice. Both head to and head for are fine. These aren't "rules", they are nuances.

There actually are people who do these things, figure out these language nuances. They are called language scientists. Language is incredibly complex so off the cuff thinking often isn't enough.

When the discussion centers around nuance, one has to be very careful if there are a number of native speakers disagreeing with one. In this, native speakers intuition is strong and we all can get fooled for a very simple reason - because we just aren't seeing the same nuance or the same language condition.

1 Reply

@camlok,

You really need to win this one Camlok. I get it.

I already gave it to you. You were right. I was wrong. What more do you want?

I just want to make you happy.

1 Reply

@maxdancona,

The advice I gave you can make you a winner too, Max.

Here is one more piece of advice. Language is the most complicated thing the vast majority of people ever do. And they do it pretty much perfectly in their daily use. Children deploy grammar and turn it into sensible speech in a manner that confounds language scientists. We all do and yet only a tiny percentage know how the grammar works and even those still study uses to see new creations, ... .

It takes a great deal of thinking to gain an understanding of the workings of language.

0 Replies

Head for the Museum

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