question about preposition

[EADG]

Which is a good time to ask the right person, wherever did 'good on ya' come from?

[x9200]

Good luck 'on' seems to need the word 'day' but I can't work out why.

"On" likes days including days of the week.

[Vaucluse]

Which is a good time to ask the right person, wherever did 'good on ya' come from?

"may goodness be bestowed upon you, well done"

in Strine is:

"good on 'ya!"


Why waste words when you have divebombing flies going for that bit of spittle you have on your tongue when opening your mouth to speak

[sundaymorningstaple]

valid point!

[nakatago]

Why waste words when you have divebombing flies going for that bit of spittle you have on your tongue when opening your mouth to speak

yep

[julinico]

Well, they do say that laughter is the best medicine. One has to admire the taunt, unwavering rectitude of anyone who must categorically state anything.

The last word on grammar is always usage; even if it appalls the older generation, or perhaps exactly for that reason.

Google results:

Good luck ...

with 71.4 million
in 29.6 million
on 17.7 million
for 11.1 million
at 5.2 million
during 0.2 million

... your interview

in 4.2 million
for 3.8 million
on 3.2 million
with 2.6 million
at 1.7 million
during 0.8 million

So, whilst 'with' figures quite highly in conjunction with good luck, it's usage is less common when used in the context of an interview. And in fact the almost universal use of 'with' in conjunction with present participles such as in: Good luck with your swimming; running; blowing; farting; flying, probably explains its strong representation.

As should be self evident, 'on,' in either sentence fragment, is far from a 'definite NO WAY.'

Yeah but that is basing it on search results. So the more it is used, the more it is correct? Perhaps I need to find a purist grammar doctrinaire link...

[julinico]

As should be self evident, 'on,' in either sentence fragment, is far from a 'definite NO WAY.'

There's nothing wrong with using good luck 'on' e.g. your birthday, your wedding day etc but for reasons I'm not sure of and am going to research it's not good with 'your interview'. Good luck 'on' seems to need the word 'day' but I can't work out why. Good luck on your exam would also be wrong unless one said exam day. I have experts in the family on this kind of thing. Can't win a point on my instincts here so will come back to you all with my research results!

Ain't this fun!

Thanks ozchick. I also think good luck on is ok for certain sentences. Maybe "good luck on whatever day" follows the usage of on in sentences with days i.e. "I don't work on Saturdays."
Yes, it'll be satisfying to be able to find the reasons for such irregularities in the English language finally.
Do update!

[Vaucluse]

Why waste words when you have divebombing flies going for that bit of spittle you have on your tongue when opening your mouth to speak

yep

Mmm

[thefurz]

As should be self evident, 'on,' in either sentence fragment, is far from a 'definite NO WAY.'

There's nothing wrong with using good luck 'on' e.g. your birthday, your wedding day etc but for reasons I'm not sure of and am going to research it's not good with 'your interview'. Good luck 'on' seems to need the word 'day' but I can't work out why. Good luck on your exam would also be wrong unless one said exam day. I have experts in the family on this kind of thing. Can't win a point on my instincts here so will come back to you all with my research results!

Ain't this fun!

I agree. Good luck "on" your interview doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps this is a UK-USA thingy.
"On" says to me that something is happening over a long period of time - such as a day. You are saying that you hope the time period itself is a success ie the birthday.

In the interview scenario you are trying to express that the act itself is a success (the interview) rather than the underlying time period.

A very ungrammatical answer!

[ksl]

As should be self evident, 'on,' in either sentence fragment, is far from a 'definite NO WAY.'

There's nothing wrong with using good luck 'on' e.g. your birthday, your wedding day etc but for reasons I'm not sure of and am going to research it's not good with 'your interview'. Good luck 'on' seems to need the word 'day' but I can't work out why. Good luck on your exam would also be wrong unless one said exam day. I have experts in the family on this kind of thing. Can't win a point on my instincts here so will come back to you all with my research results!

Ain't this fun!

I agree. Good luck "on" your interview doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps this is a UK-USA thingy.
"On" says to me that something is happening over a long period of time - such as a day. You are saying that you hope the time period itself is a success ie the birthday.

In the interview scenario you are trying to express that the act itself is a success (the interview) rather than the underlying time period.

A very ungrammatical answer!

As an adverb on means continuing, so good look on your interview is not wrong, you may just cock the interview up half way through it! good luck on your interview, while continuing