throw to/on the ground

Question

Which is better? To throw something to the ground, or on the ground?

I have the feeling that there is just a subtle difference in meaning, but can a native speaker help me out?

context:
"So long as he could catch the top while it was still spinning, he was happy, but only for a moment; then he threw it to the ground and walked away."

Optilang · Accepted Answer

Welcome to the Forum Beeblebrox.

I would say, "then he threw it on the ground".

Beeblebrox · Answer

Thank you for your welcome! Hope I will be able to improve my english a bit more here!

My guess was "he threw it on the ground" as well. However, the sentence i qouted is from the english translation of kafka's short story "the top / der Kreisel". Anybody else who has an idea, or are both correct?

CalifJim · Answer

I easily accept both. to emphasizes the motion; on emphasizes the destination. In the case of a frustrated child with a toy, I would opt for to. In the case of a careless adult with a piece of candy wrapper to throw away, I would opt for on. By emphasizing the motion, the use of to, to my ear, creates the image of a more violent act.
CJ

Optilang · Answer

BeeblebroxWhich is better? To throw something to the ground, or on the ground?

I have the feeling that there is just a subtle difference in meaning, but can a native speaker help me out?

context:
"So long as he could catch the top while it was still spinning, he was happy, but only for a moment; then he threw it to the ground and walked away."

I agree with CJ that to creates the image of a violent type of action, perhaps in temper.

From the original sentence, the impression that I get is that the (presumed) toddler had simply lost interest in the toy, and his action was not out of temper, but only that he wanted to discard the top. Hence, my choice of on the ground.

Beeblebrox · Answer

Thanks to both of you!

In fact, the story is about a philosopher who believes that he can understand the whole world by understanding a small part of it, a spinning top for example. He hangs around places where children are playing and starts to chase the top as soon as it starts spinning. When he catches it and sees the motionless top in his hand, he starts to feel sick and todders like a top under a clumsy whip.

The original german says: hatte er den Kreisel, solange er sich noch drehte, gefangen, war er glücklich, aber nur einen Augenblick, dann warf er ihn zu Boden und ging fort.

I guess in this case it's most a matter of taste to choose "to" or "on". On one hand he feels sick in the story, which would suggest "on", on the the other hand he must feel really frustrated not to be able to catch the top in motion, which would suggest "to" of course. I guess as a translator, i would throw the manuscript to the ground when i had to translate it :-)

throw to/on the ground

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