Making the right connections

Add comment November 7th, 2008

Much of our idiom springs from combining verbs with different prepositions to mean different things. For example, notice how “talk out” differs from “talk out of.”

A subtle one that’s often misused is “connect to.” Traditionally, “connect to” is for actual physical hookups, as with wiring or pipes: “The developer promised the subdivision would be connected to the sewer system soon.”

For hooking up with people, groups or ideas, use “connect with”: “They say he’s connected with the mob.”

If you have connections, they’re probably the “with” kind, unless you’re connected to some type of medical device. Of course, in that case, you have more important issues to deal with.