Why do Americans say “on accident”?

Question

It doesn’t make any sense. It should be “by accident”. For example, I crashed the car by accident. 

Answer 1

They don't. They say "By accident".

Answer 2

Is it on accident or by accident? By accident and on accident are two versions of an adverb phrase that means not on purpose.

• By accident is the standard, accepted form in print.

• On accident might be common in spoken American English, but it isn’t an acceptable form in writing and publishing.

 

https://writingexplained.org/on-accident-or-by-acc...

Or... in my opinion... take it easy! And just say: “accidentally”.

Anyway, you are generalizing if you say “Americans”... you should say “some Americans”. Americans are about 350 000 000.

Answer 3

Sounds like AAVE (African American Vernacular English) which is a different dialect than standard English. Honestly cultural anthropologists and linguists will tell you the whole purpose of language is to communicate clearly. If that person said that phrase and you understood what it meant, then they used the English language effectively.

Answer 4

Again, like the other posters say. I've never heard anybody say it that way. "On accident".

You could say.

I had an accident in my car.

I accidently crashed the car.

I had a car crash.it was an accident.

Source(s): American English speaker at 68 years old.

Answer 5

Where'd you get that idea?  Educated Americans know that it's "by accident."  

Answer 6

I am an almost 70-year-old American.

I've never heard anyone say it in my lifetime, nor read it anywhere except in the pages of Y!A in the last year or so... 

Who have you been listening to? 

Answer 7

Because they been through a car accident. Brain dead. 

Answer 8

I suppose it is from using "on purpose" so often why not, "on accident."

Answer 9

I think this aberration in the language occurred when American students became too ignorant to form correct, complete sentences.  Everybody gets a trophy.  Nobody fails. 

Answer 10

Those I've heard say that are Black. They have a different dialect of English.