0
Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
[at] the other the clerk who took the `book'
The protagonist, Philip moved in with his uncle Mr. Carey, the Vicar of Blackstable after his mother's death.
He goes to the medical school St. Luke's in London.
He became an out-patients' clerk.
........................................
The first room was the largest and in the middle of it were a table and an office chair for the physician; on each side of this were two smaller tables, a little lower: at one of these sat the house-physician and at the other the clerk who took the `book' for the day. This was a large volume in which were written down the name, age, sex, profession, of the patient and the diagnosis of his disease.
[Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham]
I'd like to know why it is "at," not "on, onto."
Thank you in advance for your help.
He goes to the medical school St. Luke's in London.
He became an out-patients' clerk.
........................................
The first room was the largest and in the middle of it were a table and an office chair for the physician; on each side of this were two smaller tables, a little lower: at one of these sat the house-physician and at the other the clerk who took the `book' for the day. This was a large volume in which were written down the name, age, sex, profession, of the patient and the diagnosis of his disease.
[Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham]
I'd like to know why it is "at," not "on, onto."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
Perhaps the writer is confusing you because her omitted some of the words which form the parallel structure. at one of these [tables] sat the house-physician and at the other [table sat] the clerk... He is not saying "on one side of the main table sat X and on the other side sat Y" So, we cannot use "on" or "onto" because this would mean that the person sat on top of the table, which no one does.
- Perhaps the writer is confusing you because her omitted some of the words which form the parallel structure.
- at one of these [tables] sat the house-physician and at the other [table sat] the clerk...
- He is not saying "on one side of the main table sat X and on the other side sat Y" So, we cannot use "on" or "onto" because this would mean that the person sat on top of the table, which no one does.
- Sitting at the table is the common expression--"at" used in the sense of "near" or "beside" or "behind" (in other words, on the same level as the table).
- Clear?
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
1 Answers
0
Perhaps the writer is confusing you because her omitted some of the words which form the parallel structure. Here it is with the missing words replaced:
...at one of these [tables] sat the house-physician and at the other [table sat] the clerk...
He is not saying "on one side of the main table sat X and on the other side sat Y"
So, we cannot use "on" or "onto" because this
...at one of these [tables] sat the house-physician and at the other [table sat] the clerk...
He is not saying "on one side of the main table sat X and on the other side sat Y"
So, we cannot use "on" or "onto" because this
0
Related Questions