Let me say
Posted by Lewis on June 03, 2004
In Reply to: First off? first of all? posted by june on June 03, 2004
: To those who have helped me ,
: I've heard *first off* many times and unsure of if I have this wrong, so is *first of all* the right way of using it?
: thank you
first off, I would use if starting a list of comments - it could be first ticked off the list of things to be said. somebody can also be 'first off' the starting blocks - an athletics metaphor for quickest to start.
although 'first of all' is very similar, there is less implication that a (numbered) list will follow.