'Convince x of y' = 'reassure x about y'

[Joel S. Berson]

Is it OK with Jon if the preposition "of" is replaced by "about" --
"convincing parents about the safety issues"?

Joel

At 11/14/2012 05:00 AM, Damien Hall wrote:
>Anyone come across such a reshaping as this?
>
>In a story about a 'light quadricycle' with a car-like body, being
>marketed as a safer alternative to scooters and mopeds, for teens:
>
>'We believe that the young rider market for scooters and mopeds has
>been contracting lately. [...] That is due to the difficulty in
>convincing parents of the safety issues surrounding mopeds and scooters.'
>
>- from 'A car you can drive at 16... but at 28mph', UK _Metro_
>(Newcastle-upon-Tyne edition), 14 Nov 12, p10
>
>As I say, I _think_ this is a reshaping of the meaning of _convince
>(of)_.  I originally thought it was an extension of the meaning of
>'safety issue' from the usual 'safety-related problem' to 'fact that
>safety (which is a legitimate concern) is not an issue' - but,
>re-reading it, I think that the reshaping is rather with _convince
>(of)_.  I'm not really sure - this marketing manager's quote is, in
>any case, not very felicitous.
>
>Damien
>
>--
>
>Damien Hall
>Newcastle University (UK)
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org