"fall down" or "fall over"?

Both are OK on their own. But they also can be used to mean different things.

I fell over the dog. (I fell because the dog was in my way and I didn't react in time to avoid falling. I may have actually fallen on the dog.)

But I fell down the dog doesn't make sense.

On the other hand, I fell down the mountain is OK but I fell

Things fall over; people don't fall over (unless they're already dead).

During the earthquake, all the bookcases fell over.
The children ran and jumped so roughly in the living room that one of the lamps fell over.

The teacher stumbled on some books that had been left near the door and fell down.
In some climates you have to be very careful in the winter. You c

CalifJim ... people don't fall over (unless they're already dead).

Well, things seem to be different (in BrE?) here:
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fall over
phrasal verb

If someone or something falls over, they fall to the ground or onto their side.

Be careful! You're going to fall over!
The fence fell over in the wind.

Things fall over; people don't fall over (unless they're already dead).

CalifJim, is this really so?

I'm confused! What should I make of this? You seem to be contradicting in this respect with another North American.

As a Brit I'd say "fall over" for someone already standing or walking on the ground: "He put his foot on a banana skin and fell over". Falling over involves falling from a standing to a lying position, rather than falling down a certain distance.
Of course there is also "to fall over something", which is different.

Thanks, everyone (am I allowed without offnesing anybody to say "guys" or "folks" here?).

I think I understand it now.

Hi,

(am I allowed without offending anybody to say "guys" or "folks" here?). Sure. These are casual but completely inoffensive terms.

Best wishes, Clive

He put his foot on a banana skin and fell over.

Well, I must say that sounds peculiar to me! He slipped on a banana peel and fell down seems to me to be the AmE equivalent. I associate falling over with inanimate objects (tall ones) teetering back and forth slowly when disturbed, then faster and in a gradually wider range of motion, then bam! they are

Must be an AmE/BrE difference.

In BrE you almost always fall over.

You usually only use fall down when there is an extra physical depth of 'down' other than just to floor level - I fell down the stairs, I fell down a drain, I fell down the mountain.