Hit him in HIS eye

Question

I would like to know if "The knife slipped and hit him in his eye." is correct. if it is, how about "The knife slipped and hit him in THE eye."?

Is there any connotational difference between the two sentences?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

They're both correct and common.  I don't sense any difference in meaning.

WalterInDallas · Answer

Thank you, Avangi.

My feeling is that "the knife slipped and hit him in his eye." seems imply that he got hurt, while "the knife slipped and hit him in the eye." does not carry strong implications like that.

What do you think?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous"The knife slipped and hit him in his eye." ...
"The knife slipped and hit him in THE eye."?In my experience I usually hear 'in the eye'. Both are correct, and I sense absolutely no difference in meaning.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

WalterInDallasMy feeling is that "the knife slipped and hit him in his eye." seems imply that he got hurt, while "the knife slipped and hit him in the eye." does not carry strong implications like that.
What do you think?

When I first replied, I struggled longer than I should have to articulate a difference -- and gave up.
Your response has caught me in a different mood.

I agree with Jim that "in the eye" is more common. But as a fixed expression (which the other is not), it seems to refer mainly to a location, while "in his eye" seems to refer to the organ itself, giving us a more detailed awareness of the eye, and forcing us to wonder exactly how it might have fared the impact.

- A.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you all very much. I have a better understanding now.

Hit him in HIS eye

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