happened to - happened with

SHifter   Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:54 pm GMT
Like in "What has happened to you?" vs "What has happened with you?"

What's the difference?
I take it the former form (happened to) is more common, but is there any semantic difference?
Ayn Rand   Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:14 pm GMT
Yes there's plenty of semantic difference. No.1 is passive and No.2 is active.
Jee   Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:14 pm GMT
Oh, we've got celebrated writers here.

Dear SHifter, "happen with" is in many cases a mistake, a calque from other languages.
Sure Google gives a great number of hits, but some are not relevant, for instance
<This had not happened with the same degree of effectiveness >.
I guess "happen with" means *with somebody present there*.
Ayn Rand might have condescended to an explanation rather than just a brief statement.
BrE2   Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:03 pm GMT
<No.1 is passive >

Rubbish. There is no passive of "happen". If there was, it would be "It has been happened", "it was happened", it is happened".
In english   Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:06 pm GMT
Success and happiness key http://advices4you.webs.com advices, answers, personal diary, open for readers comments, find out how to be happy, healthy, find love, find the best work ever. Entertaining and fun warm website http://advices4you.webs.com.
...   Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:39 am GMT
Happened to = physical event, body level.

Happened with = psychical event, mental level.