Why is 'on' used in these expressions?
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3
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Be strong on
I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.
Be low on
We are running low on rice.
Be long on
He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.
Be short on
The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.
I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"
But why is it incorrect to say this way?
- Be good on
I'm not very good on predictions
word-choice prepositions
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up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Be strong on
I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.
Be low on
We are running low on rice.
Be long on
He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.
Be short on
The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.
I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"
But why is it incorrect to say this way?
- Be good on
I'm not very good on predictions
word-choice prepositions
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Be strong on
I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.
Be low on
We are running low on rice.
Be long on
He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.
Be short on
The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.
I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"
But why is it incorrect to say this way?
- Be good on
I'm not very good on predictions
word-choice prepositions
Be strong on
I'm not too strong on organic chemistry, so I'm going to get a tutor this semester.
Be low on
We are running low on rice.
Be long on
He was short on patience, but long on a sense of his own worth.
Be short on
The president’s speech was long on colorful phrases but short on solutions.
I think that 'on' is used to convey the meaning of "regarding"
But why is it incorrect to say this way?
- Be good on
I'm not very good on predictions
word-choice prepositions
word-choice prepositions
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
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asked 4 hours ago
SIS
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5581719
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2 Answers
2
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oldest
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up vote
7
down vote
To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".
In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.
In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.
1
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?
We are low on fuel.
He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.
There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.
Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
7
down vote
To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".
In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.
In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.
1
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
7
down vote
To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".
In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.
In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.
1
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
7
down vote
up vote
7
down vote
To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".
In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.
In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.
To my (educated American) ear, sentences 2, 3, and 4 sound natural. All of them have the form "short on <measurable quantity>" or "long on <measurable quantity>".
In sentence 1, "I'm not too strong in organic chemistry" would sound more natural to me. This sentence is about a field of knowledge that you are either good at, or good in.
In sentence 5, "I'm not very good with predictions" would sound more natural to me. Unfortunately, both "on" and "with" are unclear in this sentence: Are you not very good at making accurate predictions, or are you not very good at making use of other people's predictions? "I'm not very good at making predictions" would be both clear and natural.
edited 4 hours ago
answered 4 hours ago
Jasper
17.4k43365
17.4k43365
1
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
add a comment |
1
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
1
1
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
To my Australian ear - I speak British - I almost agree with @Jasper. The exception is that I'd be pretty definite about preferring at for 1 and 5.
– Ross Murray
3 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?
We are low on fuel.
He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.
There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.
Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?
We are low on fuel.
He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.
There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.
Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?
We are low on fuel.
He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.
There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.
Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.
I agree with Jasper about #1, so for me the question that underlies your question is what is it about strong and good (when they mean "skillful, capable") that makes them unable to partner with on as low and long can?
We are low on fuel.
He is not very long on patience. He is short on patience.
There, on introduces something for which we have a supply. The supply can be ample or it can have become depleted. We can "run out of" patience just as we can run out of fuel.
Skill and capability cannot become depleted. We do not have a supply of skills that runs out when we use those skills.
answered 4 hours ago
Tᴚoɯɐuo
105k677169
105k677169
add a comment |
add a comment |
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