Most words expressing position are prepositions and adverbs (here, there, somewhere…)
The following diagram indicates relations of meaning between prepositions of place:
POSITIVE | NEGATIVE | |||
DESTINATION | POSITION | DESTINATION | POSITION | |
POINT at type | To | At | (away) from | Away from |
LINE OR SURFACE on type | On (to) | On | Off | Off |
AREA OR VOLUME in type | In (to) | In | Out of | Out of |
In general, prepositional phrases of position accompany verbs of stative meaning, and prepositional phrases of destination accompany verbs of dynamic meaning.
AT TYPE
“at” is vaguely geographical, a mere point in the space. We make no reference to the place in terms of length, width or height, but identify it quite generally.
To the office, at the door, away from the village.
ON TYPE
The place is thought in terms of length (on a line). Breadth or depth are not relevant.
On the road, off the ladder, across the road, off the coast, along the riverside.
On is also possible when the place is considered as a surface. Depth is not relevant.
On the floor, off the shelf, across the park, on the door, through the window.
IN TYPE
“in” can be used when the area is enclosed or bordered.
In the park, out of the house, out of their country, through the park.
Or when the place is three dimensional, it has got volume.
In my pocket, in her handbag, out of the building.
OVERLAP BETwEEN TYPES OF PREPOSITIONS
AT / IN
For towns and villages, both can be used. At London means we see the city as a place on the map. In London means that we see the city as a physical place. Continents use the preposition in, and small areas (street, square, room) tend to use at.
AT / TO
At is used when the object is seen as a target (the ball at me).
ON / IN
The child is on the grass (short grass).
RELATIVE POSITION
Prepositions may express the relative positions of two objects or groups of objects.
The following diagrams shows this relations:
Above * by, beside
Over
On top of * between *
………………………. behind in front of
Under
Below ********
Underneath * among *
Beneath **********
Over and under tend to indicate a direct vertical relationship and spatial proximity. Above and below may indicate “in a higher / lower level than”.
Between can relate to more than two elements if we specify these elements:
Between the houses of Mary, Peter, and Thomas.
OTHER PLACE RELATIONS
MOTION
The following diagram illustrates motion relations expressed by prepositions:
……………………………………………………> through
….> towards…….>into ….> along …….> out of ………> away from
PASSAGE
With verbs of motion prepositions may express movement towards, then away from a place.
He jumped over the fence
They drove past the cinema
He walked across the grass
It came through the window
MOVEMENT WITH DIRECTION
With verbs of motion, prepositions can express movement along an axis or path.
Up down along across, round the hill, the block, the street
REPEATED MOTION
If two prepositions are linked by AND, they can express repeated motion:
Up and down the street
ORIENTATION
Prepositions can express the position of a place in relation to the speake
Beyond the lake
RESULTATIVE MEANING
Combinated with the verb be, indicating that a destination have been reached:
They are already across the border.
PERVASIVE MEANING
Throughout is the only preposition whose meaning is pervasive. Other prepositions, combined with “all” can have pervasive meaning:
Throughout the field, all over the field, all through the film
ABSTRACT PLACE MEANING
Prepositions can be used metaphorically:
In danger, below the average, under suspicion, under arrest, between you and me…
CO-OCURRENCE RESTRICTIONS ON PLACE ADJUNCTS
Hierarchical relationship:
Two position adjuncts can co-occur but only the one denoting the larger place can take initial position:
In Spain, most people have breakfast at home.
If two directions adjuncts are together in the same sentence, they should follow the order of events described:
He went across the park into his house.
CLAUSES OF PLACE
They are introduced by where or wherever.