Learn English – Is this usage correct i.e. “Reflect off of”

prepositions

I came across the following sentence somewhere.

You will encounter its(=a building) dome, accompanied with a glare of
sunlight reflecting off of it from all around the campus and even
outside the University borders!

I can't dig the use "reflect" with two prepositions off and of. Can anyone explain what does that mean, and when do we write such sentences?

Best Answer

It's a matter of style and good usage. It's generally agreed that of is not necessary after off in such sentences.

Chicago Manual of Style recommends this:

off. Never put of after this word {we got off the bus}.

Cambridge Grammar of the English Language says this:

Off licenses an of phrase only in AmE (%He fell off of the wall).

There's a limited amount of prepositions that select of as head of their complement: because, exclusive, irrespective, abreast, ahead, instead, regardless, upward(s), east, north, south, west, alongside, inside, out, outside. With off it's optional.

She took it out of the box

She pulled it off the shelf.

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