Discount off

English translation: discount on/for

15:21 Mar 17, 2016
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Marketing - Tourism & Travel / Hotels
English term or phrase: Discount off
I saw this example on a website written by a Spanish native speaker. Is it correct to say "discount off"? I´ve searched examples on the online Oxford dictionary, or web sites witten by native English speakers, but I couldn´t find any similar phrase.

BRIDE AND GROOM STAY FREE
20% discount off private events, $250 Resort Credit and more...
Zantike2
Mexico
Local time: 13:11
Selected answer:discount on/for
Explanation:
"Discount off" may get lots of hits, but it doesn't sound right to me. I think that's because it's effectively a tautology - "discount" means a reduction, and so does "off".

In my opinion you can say "discount on", "discount for", or just "20% off".

Here's someone who agrees with me:
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6Discount off/on
B D Finch
4 +5discount on/for
philgoddard


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
discount off
Discount off/on


Explanation:
I find it hard to believe that a web search and looking it up in a dictionary could have failed to find at least some of the 7.38 million UK and 22.2 million worldwide Google hits for "discount on", and the 507,000 UK hits and 1.8 million worldwide hits for "discount off".

This tends to indicate that both versions are correct, but that "discount on" is much more common, especially in the UK.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 19:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Victoria Britten: Good of you to take the time to say so!
13 mins
  -> Thanks Victoria

agree  Tony M: I personally prefer 'discount off' when referring to the price: "25% (discount) off normal price", but 'on' if referring to the product: "This week only, 20% discount on beds"
28 mins
  -> Thanks Tony. I'd agree with that, but it seems that lots of people don't draw that distinction.

agree  David Hollywood: I would go with "discount on" as "discount off" is tautological
10 hrs
  -> Thanks David. It is, indeed, tautological. The literal meaning and etymology of "discount" is slipping from its current usage. We may regret this, but it is part of how language changes over time.

agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, "on" preferable as "off" is tautological as David says but widely used
18 hrs
  -> Thanks Gallagy

agree  Katherine Rutter
20 hrs
  -> Thanks Katherine

agree  Ildiko Santana
3 days 12 hrs
  -> Thanks Ildiko
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

51 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
discount off
discount on/for


Explanation:
"Discount off" may get lots of hits, but it doesn't sound right to me. I think that's because it's effectively a tautology - "discount" means a reduction, and so does "off".

In my opinion you can say "discount on", "discount for", or just "20% off".

Here's someone who agrees with me:


Example sentence(s):
  • While “discount off” isn’t quite a double-negative, it’s not accurate or grammatically correct.

    Reference: http://www.sitepoint.com/10-interface-typos-you-dont-even-kn...
philgoddard
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vesna Maširević: Here's someone else who agrees. Discount off is simply not acceptable if you know what a discount is.
7 mins
  -> Thanks!

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
40 mins

agree  David Hollywood: it has to be "discount on" as "discount off" is doppelt gemoppelt (tautological) but sadly ok in the vernacular
10 hrs

agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
22 hrs

agree  Ildiko Santana
3 days 11 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search