On My Mind and In My Heart

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hello, this is Marcella from San Diego.

Hi, Marcella, what’s going on?

How are you?

Green, yourself?

Very well, thank you.

The reason why I’m calling is because, even though English is my second language, I’ve always had this difficulty trying to apply the rule about the prepositions on and in.

You know, I was taught that on means on top and in means inside, and sometimes when you use it as a preposition, it doesn’t always work that way.

For example, why are we on a boat if we’re actually inside the boat? Or do we go on a plane if we’re actually inside the plane? We’re not riding on top.

That’s right.

And, for example, why are you on my mind but in my heart?

-huh.

Right?

So I’ve always been curious as to how do we apply that rule.

Wow.

And, Marcella, what is your first language?

Spanish.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Prepositions are notorious for being quirky and difficult to master from one language to another.

And, you know, I mean…

Oh, you’re telling me. I remember doing that in French, you know?

Yeah?

Yeah. And do you know French, Marcella?

No, not really.

The one that gets everybody to start in your very first semester of French class is à Paris, that means in Paris or at Paris, or en France, which is in France.

And things, but you can only use those prepositions, a and on, with those particular words.

You can’t swap them around.

It means something else altogether.

That’s right.

It’s like in December or on a specific date in December.

Right.

Right.

And I’m thinking also about Spanish prepositions.

I mean, it’s tricky for English speakers to learn your prepositions.

For example, you would say in Spanish, wouldn’t you, Marcella, the equivalent of, I dreamed with Antonio Banderas, right?

Yes.

Rather than I dreamed about or I dreamed of Antonio Banderas.

And dreaming with Antonio Banderas is something kind of different.

And, Marcella, don’t even get me started on por and para.

I mean, you must hear English speakers messing those two up all the time.

Yes.

Yeah.

And, I mean, I don’t know what you tell English speakers about how to figure those things out.

I mean, it’s sort of the same way in English.

There’s not a hard and fast rule for determining that in and on.

You just kind of have to muscle through and hear it and make mistakes because—

Memorize. Lots of memorization.

Your English is very good, so I bet your sense of what is correct is already fairly well developed, right?

Yes, I’ve been here for 17 years.

Yeah.

And, yeah, of course I’ve learned a lot, and reading helps a lot.

The thing is you probably then know that if I said that Martha was in the boat,

The mental image that comes up is a canoe.

And if I say she’s on the boat,

The mental image that comes up is like a ferry boat or a cruise ship, right?

This is the kind of thing that is impossible to teach,

Except by example, to read a lot of examples,

Which is why all great language teaching

Ultimately amounts to reading a lot in that language.

I think English is a little less forgiving preposition-wise

Than a lot of other languages.

I actually think that Spanish is a little more forgiving,

As poor as my Spanish is.

Well, I have to agree with you on that one.

You think so?

The best thing that I could say to anyone who’s listening and they want some help in this regard,

Because it really seems, Marcello, like you’re actually doing superb because you recognize the difference here,

Is that there are collections, there are books of idioms out there.

All the major dictionary publishers have them.

Buy one or two, spend some time with them, make them your bedtime reading or your bathroom reading,

And before you know it, you’ll get it and just start to click.

All right.

All right.

Well, thank you so very much.

I really enjoy your show every Saturday or Sunday whenever I’m able to listen to it.

And I really appreciate you having me on the show.

Excellent.

Thank you so much.

Bye-bye, Marcela.

Thanks a lot.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Adios.

If you’d like some more information from us, give us a call.

The number is 1-877-929-9673 or send us an email.

The address is words@waywordradio.org.