"in case": Is this strictly British English?

[nekocat]

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(1)Place a fire extinguisher in your room in case there is a fire.



I heard this sentence is OK in British English and it means "Place a fire extinguisher in your room in preparation for a possible event of a fire."

Do you think this usage is shared by American English, too, without changing its meaning?

I thought this sentence might be interpreted by AmEn like this:

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(2) Place a fire extinguisher in your room after you find out that there is a fire.

 

[Goldiegirl]

The first sentence is just as American. I think they are talking about the possibility or potential for a fire in a bedroom so you need to have a fire extinguisher in that room, just in case you need it. It's preparing for an emergency so the sentence makes sense. If you find out there is a fire in a room there would be no need to "place" one in the room, you would just use it. I hope I didn't confuse you more!

 

[nekocat]

Thanks! Goldiegirl, if you have any questions about Japanese language you haven't found answers, let me know. Can I ask one more question?

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(3) You should dial 119 in case there is a fire.


Is (3) strictly American English? As I think you should "dial 119" after "there is a fire," this usage might not be used in BrEn.

 

[Goldiegirl]

The first way is ok. You should dial 119 in case there is a fire. Although I might just say that when speaking, but if I was writing a note for everyone to read I would write "In case there is a fire dial 119. You know either way is ok and both make sense. I think it's because you are making a demand of someone to do something. Do you want to tell them what to do first, and then the reason why or the reason first and the action second. I would want to know why first and then the action I needed to do. I hope this helps! Thank-you for the offer of help with Japanese; I start taking lessons in 2 weeks!

 

[made of stone]

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(3) You should dial 119 in case there is a fire.

Is (3) strictly American English? As I think you should "dial 119" after "there is a fire," this usage might not be used in BrEn.

This is definitely not correct in British English!!

Here 'in case...' can only apply to precautions, and not how to react after something's happened.

mos

 

[nekocat]

Thanks!

:nihonjin: That's great! I hope I can be of help!

 

[nekocat]

MOS, thanks! That's what I wanted to make sure.
ありがとう！

 

[Mike Cash]

A more common way of phrasing it would be "in case of fire" instead of "in case there is a fire".

 

[made of stone]

A more common way of phrasing it would be "in case of fire" instead of "in case there is a fire".

In England we can use 'in the case of' to mean 'in the event of' but it's rare to see, and is usually used in a rather formal way I think. The meaning's different from '(just) in case'.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=11702&dict=CALD

 

[Elizabeth]

In England we can use 'in the case of' to mean 'in the event of' but it's rare to see, and is usually used in a rather formal way I think. The meaning's different from '(just) in case'.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=11702&dict=CALD

"In case of a fire" or "in the case of a fire" both also read to me not as precautions but actions to take after the fire has actually been spotted.


(1)Place a fire extinguisher in your room in case there is a fire.
(2)In case there is a fire, place a fire extinguisher in your room.

If these are used in public accomodations, they both carry the implication, at least in American English, that fires are a routine occurrence in the rooms of this establishment (hotel.)


Methinks there's no way to square the circle and pretend that this isn't a strange request to make of a customer necessarily resulting in a very odd way of speaking.

 

[made of stone]

"In case of a fire" or "in the case of a fire" both also read to me not as precautions but actions to take after the fire has actually been spotted.

Absolutely! Sorry, reading back I realise I wasn't especially clear, and perhaps also mistook the main question posed by the OP.

In the UK, '(just) in case...' and 'in the case of...' are two distinct phrases, with very different meanings.

1) '(just) in case...' to take a precaution/prepare (before something might happen).

Using the 'just' makes it sound, while still possible, less likely.

e.g. I'll take an umbrella in case it rains.

e.g. Take a camera with you just in case you see something worth taking a picture of.

This is a common expression here in England.

2) 'in the case of...' means the same as 'in the event of...' I believe it's used to explain what will/could/should/must/might be done in a certain situation.

I don't think it's very common. It sounds rather formal and more like something that would be written rather than spoken.

e.g. In the case of the game being drawn at the end of 90 minutes, extra time will be played.

e.g. (Using the OP's original example) In the case of a fire, you should dial 911.

This second example certainly seems possible, but we usually see 'in the event of a fire...' in this sentence in hotels etc.

Hope that's a bit clearer, from an Englishman's perspective!

 

[EmperorHirohito]

Isnt the English language lovely lol.

The usage of words like 'of' is enormous and enough to confuse anyone trying to learn English as a foriegn language. But the differences between British English and American English is enough to confuse people even more.

 

[Tomii515]

I'm American, and I would say:

Place a fire extinguisher in your room in case of a fire.

 

[Kinsao]

On fire alarm buttons here (in the UK) you often see written "In case of fire, break glass". The use of the phrase "in case of" in this context is a kind of contraction of "in the case of" - i.e, "in the event ('case') of a fire [this is what should be done]".

However, if you say "In case [something happens/there is something]", that implies a precaution to be taken beforehand.

For example, to me, a speaker of British English, the phrase "Place a fire extinguisher in your room in case of a fire" implies that having the extinguisher there would help stop the fire from starting (!), whereas if the extinguisher actually had written on it "Use in case of fire", it would mean to me "If a fire should happen, use this".

 

[Elizabeth]

I'm American, and I would say:
Place a fire extinguisher in your room in case of a fire.

Not being the paranoid type I'd normally let it slide, bad grammar and all, with a wince and shrug.

If I really thought someone might have it in for me, on the other hand, I'd probably take it at face value. ﾂ≫?楪≫?曦irst fire, you're on your own, kid. After that, you might want to consider putting an extinguisher in the room.

 

[Goldiegirl]

I would write a written command different from how I would speak one.
I don't think I would say " in case of fire" when speaking, it sounds short or abrupt.

 

[nekocat]

Thanks everyone! I hadn't expected such a lot of replies!

Let me confirm my understanding...In American English, there are the following two usages for "in case."

"in the event that"
"lest...should"

"In case" is not usually heard in speach. There's a slight difference across the Atlantic.

Also I'd like to know what Elizabeth's second post means?

 

[Goldiegirl]

If I understand what you wrote correctly, you are saying that in American English we wouldn't actually say "in case" while speaking? Well we say it in speach all the time. For example last night I told my husband to "shut the garage door just in case it rains.". Of course if you meant that British English speaker don't use it in speach, I can't answer that, but I am sure my sentence is perfectly understandable. Hope this helps.

Also, when learning any language, there are always more ways to say things correctly than just what is taught. American English is spoken differently across the United States and I am sure the same goes for British English. Just my thoughts....

 

[EmperorHirohito]

As someone who speaks British English, I can confirm that the phrase 'in case' is used a lot in spoken English. I regulary use 'in case' when speaking to my daughter when she goes out :- "Make sure you have got your phone (mobile phone) with you so that you can let me know in case you are going to be late home"

 

[GodEmperorLeto]

Me and my college friends would say, "Put a fire extinguisher in your room in Justin's name."

Justin being "Justin Case". Or, rather, "just in case" there is a fire.

If yout think English is fun because of that, wait until you get into neologysm (sp?). For example, jocular (adj) --> joculate (vb). "The comedians joculate." Fun fun fun.

 

[nekocat]

Thanks everyone, I got to learn deeper thanks to all of you!
I'm sorry for misreeding MOS's post: it is "in the event" that is formal.
And thank you MOS, for sending me PM offering help That's so very kind of you!!! If there's any Japanese language related questions unresolved, you can count me on! It's give and take!
Could I make another question?

Give my child this toy in case he cries.​

Could you tell me if this sentence makes sense?

ﾂ鞘?｢窶堋ｯ窶堙??堋ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙??堋?窶堙ｨ窶堋ｪ窶堙??堋､ﾂ！窶堋ｨﾂ青｢ﾋ彙窶堙俄?堙遺?堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ！

 

[Kinsao]

Give my child this toy in case he cries.

^ If you said that sentence, I would think you meant: give my child this toy, because if you don't, he might start crying.

If you wanted to say 'give my child this toy in [the] case [that] he cries'.... I would say: If my child starts crying, give him this toy.

Hope that made sense.

 

[Elizabeth]

Could I make another question?

Give my child this toy in case he cries.​

Could you tell me if this sentence makes sense?
ﾂ鞘?｢窶堋ｯ窶堙??堋ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙??堋?窶堙ｨ窶堋ｪ窶堙??堋､ﾂ！窶堋ｨﾂ青｢ﾋ彙窶堙俄?堙遺?堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ！

In this case, can I go first ?
ﾅｽ窶樞?堙固ｽq窶堙??堙?窶堋ｪ窶ｹﾆ停?堋ｫﾅｽn窶堙溪?堋ｽﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堙俄?堙債、ﾂ？ﾂ（窶ｹﾆ停?堋ｫﾅｽn窶堙溪?堋ｽ窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙娯?堋ｽ窶堙溪?堙可？ﾂ）ﾂ（窶ｹﾆ停?堋ｫﾅｽn窶堙溪?堙ｩ窶堙??堋｢窶堋ｯ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙寂?堋ｩﾂ。ﾂ。ﾂ。ﾂ？ﾂ）ﾂ、窶堋ｱ窶堙固?ﾃ溪?ｹﾃｯ窶堙ｰ窶堙｢窶堙≫?堙?（窶膿窶堋ｦ窶堙?）窶堋ｭ窶堋ｾ窶堋ｳ窶堋｢ﾂ。

I know all these meanings are probably basically synonymous (in case, in the event of, but I'm curious which is most natural.


All "In case" boils down to in American or British English is a fancy conditional.
You can think of it, in essence, as nothing more than a more formal way of saying "if" -- "if something should occur" (the child should start crying), "then....protect yourself with such and such a safeguard" (have a toy handy).

 

[quamp]

Well, I can't vouch for everywhere. However, here in Texas, 'in case' is generally used more in writing than in speech.

"In case of trouble, call the police" would generally be written; if spoken, it's generally "if there is trouble, call the police." This is really more or less limited to this region however.

 

[bakaKanadajin]

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(1)Place a fire extinguisher in your room in case there is a fire.
I heard this sentence is OK in British English and it means "Place a fire extinguisher in your room in preparation for a possible event of a fire."
Do you think this usage is shared by American English, too, without changing its meaning?
I thought this sentence might be interpreted by AmEn like this:

​

(2) Place a fire extinguisher in your room after you find out that there is a fire.

I think the general meaning of the phrase is clear, but native English speakers are not always correct as far as the real usages and syntax are concerned. (Not anyone here, I mean the person who made the sign.) The phrase 'in case there is a fire' means that at the point at which you're doing the said action, in this case 'placing a fire extinguisher in your room', the fire has already begun. The 'there is' part indicates existence. 'In case of' also carries the same literal meaning.

To be more precise, 'Pull alarm in case of fire' would be more effective because at the point in time where a fire is presently occuring, simply placing a fire extinguisher in the room would do nothing to stop it, you'd just have a burning room with a fire extinguisher sitting unused in the corner. Pulling the alarm would in theory activate the sprinkler system or do something to stop the fire.

As for the extinguisher and its most effective usage in relation to a fire, the sign could say 'Use extinguisher in case of fire'.

I don't know how closely linked English is as far as the American, UK and Canadian 'dialects' go, but I think the Canadian dialect is a mix of both. We retain UK spellings such as colour, honour, endeavour, but we don't retain others, namely the 'ae' words. The only one that comes to mind thats popular in the media these days is 'pedophile'. We spell it that way, but the English spell it 'paedophile' or something. Anyway, point is, the original phrase didn't sound right to me and I think Canadian English takes from both American and British, so despite someone telling you it's okay in British English I would hazard a guess that although everyone understands the basic meaning it's actually not correct in any situation. Modern differences between the 'dialects' are mostly limited to spelling and set phrases/idioms.