Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2017 April 5

= April 5 =

What does the defibrilator do to the heart when it febrilates?
Moved to the Science Refdesk. -- Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 19:30, 5 April 2017 (UTC)

Free entry/free admission/free admittance
A museum or concert has free entry/free admission/free admittance? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 31.4.150.255 (talk) 20:48, 5 April 2017 (UTC)


 * There's also 'free entrance' and 'admission free.' It depends on what you want to say, and in which country you are saying it. --Hofhof (talk) 21:08, 5 April 2017 (UTC)


 * I don't think it depends on what you want to say. All five expressions seem equivalent to me.  (I'd probably either say rhat admission is free or, a sixth choice, that the museum is free.  --76.71.6.254 (talk) 05:06, 6 April 2017 (UTC)


 * I think 'entrance' has a more physical meaning than admission, as the entry is not blocked (not about the cost). 'Admittance' can be many things (college, reciprocal of impedance, the act of admitting some statement), but not that you can enter without buying an entr, which is what the OP seems to be after. --Hofhof (talk) 11:39, 6 April 2017 (UTC)


 * As written, 'free entrance' and 'admission free' do not sound cromulent to me; both sound like constructions by non-native speakers. English generally follows adjective-noun order, so 'free entrance' implies that there is a physical entrance, like a door, that is not occupied and therefore available to use. But even that is awkward. In a similar vein, 'admission free' doesn't follow the expected word order; it should be either 'free admission' or 'admission: free'. Free entry/admission/admittance all sound equivalent (and cromulent) to me. Matt Deres (talk) 21:54, 6 April 2017 (UTC)


 * 'Admission free' can be correct in other contexts. For example, "The museum is admission free for children under 7." And "free entrance" sounds perfectly fine in "National Parks service hosts free entrance days."Hofhof (talk) 13:38, 7 April 2017 (UTC)


 * Are you a native speaker? If so, what variety of English are you using? "The museum is admission free for children under 7" is not what I would consider standard English. I get what you're going for and I understand the meaning, but I would correct my kid if he said it. It's the kind of phrase a new speaker might use after they encountered "Admission: Free" on a poster and was trying to relate that news to someone else. Your second example is closer, but still awkward; I might use 'entry' in place of 'entrance' there, but I'd probably re-cast it some other way. Matt Deres (talk) 01:37, 8 April 2017 (UTC)


 * The examples are not mine. See for "

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks" or google:. The 2nd would be better as "Entrance to the museum is admission free for children under 7."Hofhof (talk) 13:24, 8 April 2017 (UTC)


 * I have checked the websites of the big London museums (all of which are free). They either say "admission is free" or "entry is free." The Smithsonian also uses "admission is free" or simply "ADMISSION (line shift) FREE" Wymspen (talk) 13:54, 6 April 2017 (UTC)


 * National Parks quite correctly use the construction "entrance-fee free".  The construction recommended by Hofhof means "children under seven not admitted".   The syntax is wrong because "entrance" and "admission" refer to the same thing.   Say simply "entrance to the museum is free for children under 7" or "admission to the museum is free for children under 7" and no - one will misunderstand you. 86.147.208.18 (talk) 13:47, 8 April 2017 (UTC)