Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Sit in a chair

 
Chissa'? You can sit "on a stool" (no back, no sides, no arms) but you 
sit "in a chair" because, well, because you're *in* it. :-|
-- 
I am Joey's Cat; I sit on anything I want
(with apologies to Reader's Digest)
Un-not my address, too, if you wanna reply.

 sit "in a chair" because, well, because you're *in* it. :-|
what about 'sofa'? it's 'on', right? like 'on bed', I suppose (although a
sofa is a more proper place to sit on/in!)
thx,
nico



Another preposition stroke me: "Birds are in trees". On the contrary,
Italian birds like staying "on" trees ;)


 Italian birds like staying "on" trees ;)
oibņ, questa mi giunge nuova e mi fa sobbalzare in the chair! forse si
distingue fra quelli *sui* rami e quelli che abitano *nel* tronco (?)...
sarebbe interessante il parere della Lipu. ;-)
nico

 
I am particularly fond of birds, as you might gather, and yes, they are 
"in the trees" whether on the branch or in the trunk. (Unless I get to 
them, in which case they're in my belly. :p )
As for the sofa, Zounds! You are right. You sit "on the sofa" not "in" 
it. And if ever a seating device were able to engulf you, it would be a 
sofa, therefore, you would think to say "Please, sit in the sofa" rather 
than "sit on the sofa," but if you did say the former, you would sound 
funny.
You know, it *is* possible to say, for example, "I was sitting on a 
chair," e.g.: "I was sitting on the chair and I fell off." In this case 
it wouldn't sound right to say "I was sitting in the chair and I fell 
off" mainly because of the logical opposition of in/out; on/off. You 
wouldn't say "I was sitting in the chair and I fell out."
I think when you say "sit in the chair" it just implies a little more 
comfort; you're being engulfed a little bit by the chair.
-- 
I am Joey's Cat; I sit wherever I like, and I like birds.
(But I don't sit on them.)
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.


them, in which case they're in my belly. :p )
you bird-eater!! that's why you are fond of them...
btw thanks for your explanations, clear and exhaustive as usual. :-)
ciao,
nico (that would like to sit on the dock of the bay)

 Italian birds like staying "on" trees ;)
Well, the anglophones are not so wrong, after all. In fact, birds are *on*
a branch, as Joey's cat has said, but *in* a tree. Picture it.
Bye, FB

 Italian birds like staying "on" trees ;)
Davvero? Mi sembra che tu abbia un affetto innaturale per i preposizioni. Si
dice 'struck'.

 Si dice 'struck'.
Thanks!

 nico
It occurred to me later that the whole "bed" issue is more complicated.
You can "sit on the bed" as you pointed out.
You, however, lie either "in bed" or "on the bed."
"In bed" means you are wearing pyjamas or some such (or nothing :) and are
perhaps under the covers or they're pulled down.
"On the bed" means you are lying on top of the covers, maybe just napping,
most likely still clothed (and if you're wearing your shoes, you're gonna
get in trouble!)
-- 
I am Joey's cat. I don't wear shoes. I lie wherever I want. 
I never get in trouble.
(With apologies to Reader's Digest.)


 get in trouble!)
"Sono sul letto".
CIao, FB

 get in trouble!)
you're dead right (as my Irish friend would say)! and I'm actually supposed
to know these differences.. ;-)  (of course i mean in terms of language, not
of beds..ehm..)
ciao,
nico

 You, however, lie either "in bed" or "on the bed."
This is part of what we study in English grammar. There are several words that
behave like this (church, school, etc.). If I say "I go to school", I underline
the *function* of the place: school is where you learn, etc. Church is where
you pray. Bed is where you sleep. Instead if I say "I am walking by a church",
I simply intend the "physical" object, the building, etc.
So, when you say "in bed" it means you're gonna sleep or something, if you say
"on the bed", it just means you are sitting on the object called bed.
Hope it is clear enough. You can say I never studied English grammar because I
cannot write this stuff properly :)
-- 
Giovanni Bajo

 I simply intend the "physical" object, the building, etc.
It works in a similar way in Italian, after all.
"Sono a scuola"  = I am there as a teacher or a pupil.
"Sono nella scuola" = I am inside the building.
"Vado in chiesa" = I go there to pray.
"Vado nella chiesa" = I go inside the building.
Going back to chairs, we have dual prepositions for armchairs, as in
"Comodamente seduto in poltrona"  [function]
"Siedi pure sulla poltrona che vuoi"   [object]
 
but not for plain chairs without arms. 


 cannot write this stuff properly :)
Not true. If you signed yourself "Johnny B" I would think, maybe, you 
were from Ohio. :)
-- 
I am Joey's Cat
(with apologies to Reader's Digest)
Un-not my address, too, if you wanna reply.