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yoko1031
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 16
Location: hk
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 Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 5:07 am Post subject: in or on ? |
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I read this sentence in an exercise book:
I live on OI MAN Estate.
Why it uses on instead of in? We usually say" We live in ..."
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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| There's one situation where that would seem appropriate to me: Suppose there is a large estate with a large main house and many other buidings for various purposes, including servants' quarters. If I were the chauffeur and had the use of my own house there, I think I would say that I live on the estate. It would be a way to convey that I live there, but not in the main house. I think it would be just as likely to use at. |
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advoca
Joined: 09 Oct 2003
Posts: 422
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject: In or on |
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Yoko1031,
In England we would always say we live in xxx Estate.
Nobody would ever say we lived on an Estate.
Maybe it is different elsewhere. |
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Vin21
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 5:24 am Post subject: |
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live on: to support oneself by doing a certain type of work;
to do something to make a living;
depend on something to continue your live.
I think it's just that two words come together.
I wonder if the estate is situated on a high altitute,higher than any other estates in that area,like on a hill,or you live on the top floor of one builging.From there,you get the entire view of the estate lying beneath .In this case.Would it be a way to convey that your place is high up there ?
And if I were living on the top floor of a skyscraper,I could see the cloud floating outside my window.Could I say "I live on the cloud"?
Thanks!
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jules
Joined: 09 Aug 2005
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 5:37 am Post subject: |
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Yoko1031,
[quote]In England we would always say we live in xxx Estate.
Nobody would ever say we lived on an Estate. [/quote]
I am English and I'm afraid I have to disagree with this statement. YOu DO say that someone lives ON an estate... for example, 'they live on a council estate' |
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RedRose
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2735
Location: GuangZhou, China
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 7:07 am Post subject: |
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this topic remains me of a thing...
I once talked to an American guy via MSN. he asked me:"are you at office or home?" I answered:"home, and I am repairing my computer, two years ago, my dad bought me this computer, and now it often dosen't work well ." he got kinda confused:"you dad bought you a pc?? do you live on your parents?"
at that time, my english was even worse than it is now, so I thought he meant "do you live with your parents?" I said:"yes, sometimes my parents come here to live on me" he got more confused!! 
actually, my dad bought me a computer as a birthday gift, but that American guy thought I depended on my parents it could be an international joke. |
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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Funny story, Red!
Thanks for the clarification, Jules!
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| And if I were living on the top floor of a skyscraper,I could see the cloud floating outside my window.Could I say "I live on the cloud"? |
Sure, Vin, why not? Quite poetic!
When I think of an estate, I think of a large mansion on a large piece of land. It would have many other buildings (houses, stables, barns, sheds, etc.), large gardens and fields, woods, etc. So to live on an estate probably is analagous to living on a piece of land.
A city estate in a crowded city would probably have little or no land, the lone mansion being the entire estate. Then, probably in would be appropriate.
In general, you live in a continent, country, state, province, area, city, borough, district or neighborhood:
She lives in North America.
She lives in the United States.
She lives in New York State. (or She lives in Ontario.)
She lives in southern New York State.
She lives in New York City.
She lives in Manhattan.
She lives in the Garment District.
She lives in Soho.
However, you live on a street: She lives on Greenwich St.
But you live at an exact street address: She lives at 746 Greenwich St.
Maybe it is peculiar to Manhattan, but you can live on the East Side or on the West Side. Each contains many neighborhoods. In Philadelphia, I think they would say that they live in the South Side, but I'm not positive about that.
You live on a farm, an estate or a ranch. You live on a body of water if your property touches the water, or maybe even if it is near the water. She lives on the Atlantic Ocean. He lives on Lake George. And literally, if you live on a houseboat, you live on the water. |
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RedRose
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2735
Location: GuangZhou, China
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| thank you, dear bud, you made the question so clear. thank you for your explanations. |
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US
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| Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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| My pleasure, RedRose. Thank you. |
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