METAPHORICAL AND ABSTRACT USES
Many spatial prepositions are used in abstract or metaphorical expressions. For example, about in walk about the house expresses ‘indeterminate spatial movement’, whereas in talk about the house it expresses the notion of ‘reference’.
Although many abstract and metaphorical uses of prepositions (and adverbs) may at first sight appear arbitrary, metaphor and metonymy can provide enlightening explanations. For instance, the expressions in love, in pain, in anger construe these emotions as containers, yet this construal is not applicable to happiness and hate (*in happiness, *in hate.) For these, full of happiness/joy/hate and also anger are normal uses, with the body in this case construed as the container. The field of vision as well as the mind are also seen as containers, as in the expressions ‘in full view’, ‘out of sight, out of mind’, in your imagination.
Between, meaning relative position, is extended to both temporal and abstract meanings: Between six and seven this evening; the discussion between them turned into a quarrel.
Into, used metaphorically, indicates active participation in something, as in he’s into rugby these days.
Over and under have non-spatial meanings as in: it weighs over a kilo, it cost under ten euros, while in the verbs overact, overcharge, under-estimate, undernourished the meaning is ‘excess’ and insufficiency’, respectively. A different extension of meaning, something like ‘subordination’ or ‘subjection to’ is illustrated in: under the influence of drugs; under his leadership; under the threat of expulsion; under control; under the circumstances; under contract for a year.
With over, the meaning of ‘surmounting an obstacle’ is extended to that of illness and difficulties – get over an operation has the sense of recovering from its effects – while control over/power over someone, or something, is an extension of the basic higher-vs- lower spatial meaning, as is also the use of over in ‘let’s discuss it over a cup of coffee’. Here the mental image is of persons leaning slightly forward, engaged in talk, with the coffee on the table between them.
Out of as ‘exit from a container’ is extended to expressions such as out of petrol, out of sugar, out of work (= jobless), out of date (= obsolete). Out also responds to the ‘emergence metaphor’ as in He did it out of despair, out of love for his family, and to the ‘object comes out of a substance’ metaphor, as in Mammals developed out of reptiles. The opposite is the ‘substance goes into the object’ metaphor, as in I made a sheet of newspaper into a plane.
Off and on have converse meanings in relation to the notion of support as the Ground: the pen fell off the table onto the floor. They are used colloquially as converses in expressions such as he’s off alcohol, he’s on drugs.
Up and down are often metaphorically construed as converses, with positive and negative connotations respectively, in expressions such as coming up in the world, going down in the world, look up to someone and look down on someone. Up north and down south reflect geographical orientation, whereas up to London, down to the country reflects the status of the capital.
Through can have the meaning of completion and result: He went through a fortune in a year; I finally got through that long novel.
With can metaphorically signal the manner of doing something (Say it with a smile = smiling; With a wave of his hand, he left) or result, in black with the smoke, together with increasing or decreasing value (This wine has improved with age).
The following extract from Gone Girl illustrates the use of lexical prepositions:
‘Amy’ I began running, bellowing her name. Through the kitchen,1 where a kettle was burning, down to the basement.2 where the guest room stood empty, and then out the back door.3 I pounded across our yard4 into the slender boat deck5 leading out over the river.6 I peeked over the side7 to see if she was in our rowboat,8 where I had found her one day, tethered to the dock,9 rocking in the water,10 her face to the sun,11 eyes closed, and as I peered down into the dazzling reflections12 of the river, at her beautiful, still face,13 she’d suddenly opened her blue eyes and said nothing to me,14 and I‘d said nothing back and gone into the house alone.15
