Job Discussion Forums

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

We are debating whether it is acceptable to use "fishing" with "beside the sea". So, do you think the sentence "He is fishing beside the sea" is acceptable? And if not, why not?

leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

What's this got to do with Western Women? Smile

Anyway, although I can understand "he's fishing beside the sea" no problems (I mean who wouldn't?) - there is a little thing that bugs me about it.

"beside", to me, implies that the subject and verb of the clause preceding it do not directly affect the object of the preposition - rather it is used as a locational frame of reference.

You can say "he's sitting beside the sea", because the act of him sitting there doesn't directly affect the sea in any way, much like him "walking beside the sea".

You wouldn't say "he's swimming beside the sea" (unless he was in a pool or river of some sort which was adjacent to the sea in question) - because swimming in the sea affects it.

Fishing, like swimming, has an effect on the sea (albeit not a strong one) - so I would probably say "He's fishing in the sea". But if we're going to get really tied up in semantics, this could get confusing as it's unclear as to whether it is he that is in the sea (while he is fishing), or if he is (ahem, beside) the sea and it is the act of fishing that is "in the sea". So, to clear that up, I'd say "He's beside the sea, while fishing in it", or, alternatively, "He's fishing beside the sea".

Smile

Glad we got that one sorted!

vre · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 371

'He is sea fishing' would clear things up.

Western women? Rolling Eyes

vre · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 371

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside
oh I do love to be beside the sea.....
oh I do love to fish beside the sea on a pier or something
Cool

wearing my sunglasses
Embarassed

getting a tan

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

It does seem to be a popular trend to somehow include western women in thread titles, doesn't it?

Maybe the example sentence could have been, "Western women are fishing beside the sea." Just a thought.

Beside the sea sounds strange to me. When I hear Western women are fishing in the sea, I don't picture them as actually being off-shore, although it is somewhat ambiguous. However, if the word order were changed to Western women are in the sea fishing, I picture them as being in the water.

mesmerod · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 106

the man is standing beside the sea fishing. nothing wrong with this statement

you people analyze things way too much.

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

As I was discussing it with a western woman, and it seems that the only threads that get answered have some such title, it seemed apposite. Thanks for the replies.

Aramas · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 2:14 pm Post subject:

Perhaps the fellow beside the sea was fishing for western women?

Regarding the actual question, it was an example of something a native speaker wouldn't say. Most people would say he was fishing on/off/from the beach/rocks/pier/whatever. Then there are rather a lot of regional variants, like 'beach fishing', 'surf fishing' etc. In NSW, fishing from a boat at sea is called 'outside fishing', as in 'Where were you fishing?' - 'Outside' - not meaning out of doors, but rather out of harbour.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

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stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Has anybody else noticed how mesmerelda always seems to miss the point, or how she substitutes her own statement for the statement in question and seems unable to recognise that they are different. And how she seems to be unable to use capitals except when SCREAMING?

Methinks she needs to take some English Lessons.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

It's because he analyzes things way too little....

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Mesmerod is quite right on this one, and Leeroy has got his semantic knickers in a twist.

You can be swimming beside the sea, but only in a swimming pool on the beach.

On the other hand you can be standing on the beach fishing.

I agree with Aramas that a native-speaker is more likely to use another construction, if only because beside the sea doesn't tell us much about the actual location.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

The mesmer is correct to write without beginning sentences with capital letters? Lots of pontifcating about nothing here.

mesmerod · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 106

moonrivet,

beginning sentences without a capital letter is acceptable on internet message boards.

deal with it

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Not when you are trying to give us the definitive version of something, messmer. Didn't cover your butt with that b.s. I do not have to deal with anything, by the way.