Which is more idiomatic of American English, to issue someone with st, to issue someone sth, or to issue something to s.o.?

Question

e.g.
The troops were issued with radios
The troops were issued radios
Radios were issued to the troops.

The boots they were issued with had fallen to bits
The boots they were issued had fallen to bits
The boots issued to them had fallen to bits.

She was issued with travel documents
She was issued travel documents
Travel documents were issued to her

Staff will be issued with new gray-and-yellow designer uniforms
Staff will be issued new gray-and-yellow designer uniforms
New gray-and-yellow uniforms will be issued to staff

Source: Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/issue

Answer 1

The "to" being is used for the people receiving the something (the indirect object). You can drop the the "to" when restructuring the sentence by placing the indirect object in front of the object, that IS standard English (I gave him the food; I gave the food to him). The "to" for the indirect object may often be dropped.



The "with" versus not "with" is a choice. I actually find that using "with", although common, is not actually correct. That is, if you use with, that means that the thing is going along as a secondary item, rather than the direct object or primary item. If you issue with orders, what are those orders "with"? or what/who is being issued, because it wouldn't be the orders. The orders are there, as part of the picture, but they aren't what was issued. Apparently the people were issued, and the orders were what the people were issued WITH. And that is a bit nonsensical unless you mean that the people were sent out the door when you use the word "issue".

Answer 2

In British English, depending on context, "issued to" or "issued with" might be more appropriate. The form with bare "issued" is much less common, but not totally unknown.

Answer 3

I'm stuck on bits, sorry. "Bits and pieces" maybe, "disrepair", possibly, "a state of" etc. Sorry! This is but an example we Canadians encounter in maintaining good relations with both parties. Damned if you do and damned you don't. Can't say "eh" or mention a certain lady but must spell color with a "u' while acting like a colonial. It ain't easy1

Answer 4

You are issued something. It is issued to you. However you are outfitted with something.