Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[juliete]

I think 'on' means 'in touch with,' as follows for example.

There's a fly on the ceiling.
　　　The fly is in touch with the ceiling.
A human walks on the graound.
　　　The human is in touch with the ground.

But in the following sentence, what's in touch with what? Or what does 'on' in the following sentence mean?

Q: A human walks on two feet.

Even when a human is lying on a bed, his feet are on him becasue his feet are in touch with him. So 'on two feet' in sentence Q doesn't explain anything. So sentece Q should be 'A human walks by using two feet,' or 'A human sleeps on two feet,' should be also used.

What's the difference between 'on' and 'by using'? Or What feeling does 'on' in Q have?

[scottish_tiger]

hi JULIETE,

I can understand your confusion if you take the literal meaning of "on" as "in touch with". In the case of your sentence

"A human walks on two feet."

think that the soles of your feet (the underside of the foot from the toes to the heel) are in touch with the ground, in the same way if it was

"the acrobat walks on his two hands.",

then it would be the palms of his hands (the inner surface of the hand, extending from the base of the fingers to the wrist) in touch with the ground.

Sorry if that adds to your confusion.

Scottish Tiger
_________________
I am always happy to help you learn English.

[juliete]

Hi scottish_tiger.

Thanks for your nice explanation.
It's a new view point! I've never thought like that. It's a little bit tough to swallow but very, very interesting!

Thanks!

[pinenut]

I can think of a few more of such anatomically inconceivable expressions:

[juliete]

Hi pinenut,

Thanks for your nice expressions.
Yes, they are really inconceivable.

Thanks.