help plz! right use of "end up the mess"

[meryayichen]

Hello everyone on the forum! My name is Mark, and i'm from China. In Barney Stinson's exact words: "what up?"

Here's the thing that I'm asking for help: Many a discussion have been produced regarding the right use of "end up the mess" back in a renowned forum in China. Let's say there's A and B, holding two opposite opinions.

It all started with A randomly mentioning "I'm recording this audio to end up the mess". What he was trying to manifest was that he was recording that audio in hopes of bringing the mess (an irrelevant topic) to an end. A argued (1) that according to American Heritage Dictionary, up could be "Used as an intensifier of the action of a verb", thus the use of "end up the mess" makes absolute sense in replacing "clean up the mess" or "end the mess" (2) a bunch of "end up + the + noun" (such as end up the meeting) are being used in either offcial reports or informal documents by native speakers. (3) Mark Twain once used "end up the war" (to mean end the war) in a book.

Party B insisted that it's NOT correct to use "end up the mess" when you actually are meaning "clean up the mess", because (1) end up is an already existed phrase that literally means that "to be finally in a particular situation or place". "end up the mess" could be vague and misleading, thus wasn't and will not be used. (2) just because "up" could be used as intensifier, doesn't mean that each and every "up" that follows verb is intensifier! otherwise how do you explain "the price went up" etc.

So, the questions are:
(1) Do native speakers ever use "end up the mess" to mean to "bring an end to the mess", or in A's own words, to use "up" as intensifier (whilst still meaning end the mess), in their daily lives?
(2) Is it grammarly correct of that use?

thank you so much!
Regarding from China,
Mark

[meryayichen]

to be blunt, two other ppl hold the same opinion with me (let's say their all come from party B) has individually either turned to native speakers for help, or posted thread asking for help on Yahoo.
The answers were consistent: it's no correct to use "end up the mess" to mean "end the mess".

Below is the link of one of the thread mentioned above:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...4130523AAKwrci
(kindly notice that the top contributor of yahoo answer, a Uk teacher for many decades, even said A native speaker would never, ever say ’end up the mess’.)

Thank you again and look forward to your opinions.

[kasie]

Greetings from UK, meryayichen. I concur with the answer on yahoo - I have never heard the phrase 'end up the mess' used in UK English.

You could use 'Finally...' or 'As a last word...' or 'To put an end to the matter...'

I am sure other Forum users from USA will be able to advise you on American usage.

[meryayichen]

thanks you so much kasie! :P
someone from America?

[Silas Thorne]

It could be a legitimate Chinese English usage now though. If it is consistent among large numbers of Chinese users of English, then it could indeed be correct Chinese English, and just not used outside China.

[meryayichen]

thank you Silas Thorne.
Very limited, only among certain self-assured and so-called "advanced" learners, number of Chinese use "end up the mess", who insisted that it's commonly used worldwide, in fromal report/presentation/summit.
thank you for clarifying again.

[imthefoolonthehill]

From Western U.S.: I've never heard the phrase. I would avoid using it altogether.

[JBI]

'Ended up in a mess' or "ended in a mess" is I think what you're looking for. Those are actually somewhat common English phrases. End up the mess doesn't actually make much sense, or follow the conventions of English Grammar.

[meryayichen]

thank you imthefoolonthehill, what hill? one tree hill?
thank you JBI!