"East is that way."

Translation: 東はあっちです。

[N1chope]

Is there any reason why it would not be そっち? Does "that way" imply a longer distance or something?

[dana.val]

Unlike そちら (there) and あちら (over there), there's no way of distinguishing between そっち and あっち in text. :/ unless you can actually see the subject.

[AdityaPrak161281]

Socchi is used to point at things that are away from speaker and near listener. In this context acchi makes sense

[Wendy41221]

I'm confused about this one too. But そ is used to refer to something that near to the person we are talking with, and あ refers to something that is far from both of the speaker

[Thkgk]

Why is "東はそっちです" wrong? そっち means also that way (direction distant from the speaker, close to the listener)​.

[Swisidniak]

I'm curious on this as well. My best guess is that since そっち means it's closer to the listener and 'east' is more of a directional concept and not an actual pinpointable place. That the listener can't actually be close to "east" and therefore あっち to imply east is a far off place away from both of you is more suitable.

The listener could certainly be farther east than you so socchi could work in the sense of east is 'in your direction relative to myself', but not "east is near where you are" which might be what is more implied?

[JJarJarTolkein]

I accepted it for me.

[Ever2662]

Surely should accept あちら as well as あっち?

[Rhiaaaaannon]

It's not wrong, but あちら isn't used a lot for directions. あっち is more like "that way" and あちら is more like "over there."

[hollt693]

This is a great example of why I wish Duolingo had explanatory blurbs.

[-kevboard-]

yay... そっち is marked wrong... even tho nothing in the english text gives any context, therefore it is absolutely correct

[gol-Dan]

東はそちらです worked for me as of Oct 26 / 2019.

[sam31111]

Anothet shortcoming

[p7CH3]

Can we omit です?