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From: dmark@cs.Buffalo.EDU (David Mark)
Newsgroups: sci.lang,comp.cog-eng
Subject: Geographical uses of "in" and "on"
Keywords: spatial language, prepositions, metaphor
Message-ID: <5434@cs.Buffalo.EDU>
Date: 23 Apr 89 20:28:41 GMT
Sender: dmark@cs.Buffalo.EDU
Reply-To: dmark@cs.Buffalo.EDU (David Mark)
Organization: SUNY/Buffalo Geography, & Graduate Group in Cognitive Science
Lines: 57

In English, the spatial relation between a point and a geographic polygon is 
"usually" expressed with the preposition "in".  This is consistent with the
idea that the polygonal region is conceived of as a CONTAINER.  However, for
some geographic polygons, English uses "on", which implies a PLATFORM
image-schema.  So far, I cannot come up with any set of characteristics
of the polygons that would indicate whether "in" or "on" is used.  Or,
alternatively, I cannot come up with metaphors that would attach each
example to a CONTAINER or PLATFORM prototype to form a radial category
structure (a la Lakoff).

I posted this query a couple of months ago, and did not receive anything that
I consider to be "the answer".   So, once again, if anyone reading this knows 
the answer, or has a plausible explanation, please respond via email or posting.

David M. Mark, Geography, SUNY at Buffalo
dmark@cs.buffalo.edu

_______________________________________________________________________________

Some examples:

"Where does George live?"

GROUP A: "IN", the CONTAINER image-schema

He lives in Mexico
He lives in Wyoming
He lives in Manitoba
He lives in Whatcom County
He lives in Clarence, New York
He lives in Seattle
He lives in Central Park
He lives in Yellowstone Park
He lives in Los Padres National Forest
He lives in the parking lot
He lives in his back yard
He lives in the new subdivision
He lives in my neighborhood
He lives in the Mission school district
He lives in a cornfield
He lives in Fred's pasture
He lives in a meadow

GROUP B: "ON", the PLATFORM image-schema

He lives on the Fort Lewis military base
He lives on the Stanford University campus
He lives on an Indian reservation
He lives on parcel "B"
He lives on Quilchena golf course
He lives on the highschool football field
He lives on a tennis court
He lives on his front lawn
He lives on Henry's farm
He lives on Frank's ranch
He lives on Peter's land
He lives on his own property