Which one do y'all prefer? I've seen it written both ways.
I really should consult the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, but I don't have my copy with me (I know - bad tech writer) and I'm kind of curious what the consensus may be.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Not an expert, but my gut instinct tells me it can go either way. Depending on the context, of course. "Log into" something. "Log in to" do something.
Posts: 609 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Because to me, "Log in" is like one term, one verb, - one word if you will. So I "log in" to Windows, for example.
Posts: 1522 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I have no idea which one I use. They both mean precisely the same thing, so I wouldn't notice somebody switching between the two.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Login is a noun, Log in is a verb. (My login is Uprooted, but I can't log in because I forgot my password.)
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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JennaDean's line of reasoning is correct: "log in" is the verb, so it should not combine with the preposition "to."
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I know - log in is the verb, not log. Still, I'm guessing that this is one area that will continue to shake itself out until it matches the other similiar verb phrases.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I knew I was linking to a noun but thought I could defend myself with the definition in the link but trying to write it out revealed my silliness.
Posts: 675 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I never gave it much thought. "Login" doesn't seem right to me as an action. Whenever I think of logging in to something, I think "Log in". I guess "login" seems as correct as "alot" to me.
[ June 28, 2007, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: Nick ]
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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"Log in" is an action. "Log into" would be the natural extension of "log in." I'm not a grammar guru, but I know that Log being the verb would preclude it being modified into a noun when it is meant to be the verb in a sentence.
"Login to" would be a poor construction because it would be easily confused with the usage as a noun "whom did you give your login to?"
Although "log in" seems valid and usable in a sentence by itself, "log in to" is analogous to other redundant protractions (if that's the right word here...) ie: "I want to go in to the building," is an awkward version of "I want to go into the building."
To sum up: Log= verb/noun Login = noun Log in = verb Log into = correct usage
Edit: I think the trouble with this word comes from the usage of "login" as a common noun. Because we pronounce "login" with the foot on the second syllable, it is distinguishable in speech from "log in", which places the emphasis on the second word. Reverse it yet again in speech when you say "log into"- you have a slightly stronger emphasis on the first word and a slightly weakened emphasis on the second word. However, I think this is distinguishable from "Log in to" simple because saying those three words as separate words makes the meter sound awkward. It also produces a somewhat unclear meaning.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:I. Into is a preposition. In a sentence, the preposition into will be part of a prepositional phrase consisting of into + its object + any modifiers of its objects. The entire phrase it is a part of will function adverbially to modify the verb or verb phrase that precedes the phrase.
1. When he walked into the room, he found that the meeting had already started. 2. Put the toys into the basket. 3. The pumpkin was turned into a carriage.
II. In the phrase in to, in is an adverb, directly modifying a verb, and to is a reposition with its own object. When the word into is used in a sentence where in to is meant, the resulting statement can be absurd.
1. She turned her paper in to the teacher. vs. 2. She turned her paper into the teacher.
In the second sentence, the paper is transformed--poof!--into the teacher. We've all heard the old joke about the magician who was so talented that he could drive down the street and turn into a gas station. Of course, if he just wanted to get gas somewhere, he would turn in to a gas station.
Also, you won't say "log outof", you will say log out of Posts: 5700 | Registered: Feb 2002
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But on to and onto can be used interchangeably more often than in to or into? (grasping for straws)
Posts: 87 | Registered: Apr 2007
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