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Re: USAGE: Internetese deviancy - the definite article

From:Michael Potter <mhpotter@...>
Date:Wednesday, July 28, 2004, 18:16
David Barrow wrote:
> Michael Potter wrote:
(lots of snips, dedicated to Tristan :P )
>> "in the" is what I would use for someone inside the specific >> school/church/whatever building, while I was outside that building, but >> near it. "at the" would, conversely, mean that you were inside, but I >> was at home. > > > If you are at home, how do you know the person is inside and not at the > entrance > or in the garden? > > David Barrow >
See, I knew I would get something wrong! I should say that "at the" would mean that you were located in *or near* whatever. Since the types of buildings we're talking about usually have a parking lot or something else outside, "at the" says you are on the premises, but not necessarily inside. "He's at school": a student currently in class "He's at the school": anybody (student or otherwise) that is on school grounds at that time Of course, when I say "at the", I expect the person I'm talking about to actually be _at the school_ (or wherever). -- Michael