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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
"by" versus "of"
Hi,
why in the sentence "I'm frightened BY spiders." we use the preposition "by" but in the sentence "Don't be frightened OF the dog - he won't hurt you." we use "of".
Thanks,
Anatoly Kurilin
why in the sentence "I'm frightened BY spiders." we use the preposition "by" but in the sentence "Don't be frightened OF the dog - he won't hurt you." we use "of".
Thanks,
Anatoly Kurilin
Top answer
[/nq] Is that really so? "Frightened of spiders" sounds fine in BrE for a general feeling, a sort of phobia: "frightened by a spider" would be used for a single alarming incident. Alan Jones
- [/nq] Is that really so?
- "Frightened of spiders" sounds fine in BrE for a general feeling, a sort of phobia: "frightened by a spider" would be used for a single alarming incident.
- Alan Jones
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3 Answers
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[nq:1]Hi, why in the sentence "I'm frightened BY spiders." we use the preposition "by" but in the sentence "Don't be frightened OF the dog - he won't hurt you." we use "of".[/nq]
Is that really so? "Frightened of spiders" sounds fine in BrE for a general feeling, a sort of phobia: "frightened by a spider" would be used for a single alarming incident.
Alan Jones
Is that really so? "Frightened of spiders" sounds fine in BrE for a general feeling, a sort of phobia: "frightened by a spider" would be used for a single alarming incident.
Alan Jones
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[nq:1]Hi, why in the sentence "I'm frightened BY spiders." we use the preposition "by" but in the sentence "Don't be frightened OF the dog - he won't hurt you." we use "of".[/nq]
We can say, just, as easily, "I'm frightened of spiders" and "Don't be frightened by the dog."
To be frightened of something is to have a fear(1) of it. To be frightened by something is to have been given a fright
We can say, just, as easily, "I'm frightened of spiders" and "Don't be frightened by the dog."
To be frightened of something is to have a fear(1) of it. To be frightened by something is to have been given a fright
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[nq:2]Hi, why in the sentence "I'm frightened BY spiders." we ... the dog - he won't hurt you." we use "of".[/nq]
In the places I've lived, below, I don't think many people actually would say your second sentence. I may have heard it before, but it still sounds wierd. OTOH, I would say: I'm scared of the dog. OR I'm frightened by the dog, or by dogs, or by spiders, or by the spider.
[nq:1]
In the places I've lived, below, I don't think many people actually would say your second sentence. I may have heard it before, but it still sounds wierd. OTOH, I would say: I'm scared of the dog. OR I'm frightened by the dog, or by dogs, or by spiders, or by the spider.
[nq:1]
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