To be "glad of" or "glad about"? | be glad of
Doesitnotboildowntothedifferenceinmeaningbetweenofandabout?Thedichotomyraisednotonlyappliestoglad.Itcouldequallyapplytoenvious,sick,ornodoubtcountlessotheradverbsusedtoqualifytheverbtobe.InEnglishprepositionsarelargelydeterminedbyusage,andcandifferaccordingtoplaceorregion.Americansalwaysseemtometobeusingthewrongprepositions.E.g.theywillsaydifferentfrom(MikeisdifferentfromBill),whensurelyEnglishEnglishdemandsthatyousaydifferentto(JennyisdifferenttoJane).IwouldtendtosaythatIwouldbegladofacupof...
Does it not boil down to the difference in meaning between of and about? The dichotomy raised not only applies to glad. It could equally apply to envious,sick, or no doubt countless other adverbs used to qualify the verb to be. In English prepositions are largely determined by usage, and can differ according to place or region. Americans always seem to me to be using the wrong prepositions. E.g. they will say different from (Mike is different from Bill), when surely English English demands that you say different to (Jenny is different to Jane). I would tend to say that I would be glad of a cup of tea meaning I would like one. But I might be glad about the fact that tea was available.