A tiny query

[pensnest]

In American English, is the phrase "pulled out the plug" correct, or is there something more idiomatic?

Comments

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

*grins* Depends on the context. Are we talking unplugging an electrical device? Removing a sex toy? Euthanasia? Draining a bathtub?

[pensnest]

An electrical device!! But truth to tell, I did wonder if "pulled out the plug" sounded a little too, hmm, ambiguous for my perverted beloved popslash readers.

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

Well, me, I would say "I unplugged it," rather than "I pulled out the plug." But the other isn't wrong, per se. And circumstances would change it: Just turning it off via the plug would be "I unplugged it." But if it was more complicated, then: "I crawled under the desk to get to the outlet, and pulled out the plug."

Not helping, am I? heh.

I'm a little torn about the "out" there--I'm not sure most folks would say that? But "I pulled the plug" is a more specific bit, that means shut down/turned off/killed/ terminated, and for a wide range of things, not so much electrical devices. Like "I pulled the plug on Roger's project after he lost all that money." Sort of euthanasia-oriented, actually.

[pensnest]

I had a feeling that the 'out' was perhaps English rather than American. Hmm. I may have to go with 'unplugged', I think.

[ninjetti75.livejournal.com]

The verb "plug" is correct, but yeah, we use it different ways. You could just as easily say "He pulled the (electrical device's) plug out (of the wall/socket)." as "He unplugged it (OR the [device])."

The latter is generally less formal (obviously), so is actually more likely to be used in a Popslash story or anything where you're trying to match the narrative voice to a casual character.

[pensnest]

Thanks - it's always the nuance that really counts. I shall consider!

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

I've never heard a person actual say I pulled out the plug. Unplugged, just like the MTV show. ;-)

Pulling the plug would immediately get a 'Oh! I'm so sorry!' followed by hollow reassurances about how 'they're better off' now or 'with God'.

[pensnest]

So the 'out' is an Anglicism, as far as you're concerned? I can work with that. Thanks.