One can never, never exhaust in a single breath, the group of the vocabulary that sounds similar, but means different things, such as this one, “cater for” and “cater to.” Complex statement you would agree, because it’s deceptive, looking at it casually without attempting to critically scrutinise what the two vocabularies, “cater for” and “cater to” connotes or represents. For the careless user of the language, so to speak, it matters not how the phrases are employed to deliver the message to the audience, about a person positioned to serve food, provide accommodation, or entertainment to those who desire it.
Again, the end consumers of the information are, as I used to put it, at the mercy of the sender, who, ignorantly want them to believe him. Mind you, the damage done to the language through the misuse of words, clauses, syntax are unquantifiable, but the infraction can still be repaired if the masters and purists of English refused to give up correcting the mistakes. Please, follow the language experts to begin with, learn and correct the errors you have made in the past and join the league of the English pragmatists.
First, become a critic, always take a second look at every word or sentence fed you by the media, be it print or electronic, because they play the critical role of influencing us; our thoughts and the way we should go. One would not be wrong to say that the media play the role as the model that society look unto to make informed decision. So, never resign to the assumption that the media are above making mistakes. The verb, “cater” automatically gives one the idea of catering for or looking after someone needs.
As humans, our wants are limitless, especially when we think of nourishing the body and soul with the physical and spiritual foods to keep us fit for the next day to carry out our assigned duties for the good of society. Pruning it down further, the big and disturbing issue, is how to correctly use the grammar, “cater for” and “cater to,” to send the right message to the publics. Never be in a hurry to run to the press to air your views without making the necessary checks to amend one’s self; supposing your thoughts or opinions are not in tandem with what you put on paper. Where possible sleep over it, think or meditate over your write up, certainly, you would discover errors and quickly make amend.
That is the way creative minds go about it, especially for the feature writers. If we must rely on the reference books, as I do personally, to get it right, nothing stops us from taking advantage of the legions of books at our beck and call to get the desired matter. My favourite, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, vividly described the meaning of the two hanging sentences, “cater for” and “cater to,” concluding that they should not be misconstrued or used interchangeably, though similar on the face value, they differ in their usage, or engagement.
To cater for someone, or something, according to the dictionary, is, for instance, to supply food, accommodation, or entertainment; and for emphasise, to persons who needs them. Take this as the opposite of the word, catering; going by the dictionary interpretation or account. Whereas, the statement, “cater to,” according to Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, is to indulge in unwholesome practices that compromise the temple of God, to my understanding. To put it plainly, the dictionary described it as “unworthy desires, etc.” Not convinced, I took the option of taking it from the online dictionary, where it says, the two phrases, “cater for” and “cater to” similarities are obvious.
But then, make up your mind and use whichever one you want most, so long as you communicate to the understanding of the audience. For lessons, one can as well look up for the word, “pander” to get the clearer picture of the desires of the flesh, as informed by Chambers 21st Century Dictionary. The idea here, is to correctly tell the public in the language they can understand.
