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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Using "drowned"
What leads us to use "in" when "drowned" is used literally and "in/by" when it is metaphoric?
He was drowned in the raging torrent.
His speech was drowned by the rabble.
His plea was drowned in/by the clatter of hooves.
He was drowned in the raging torrent.
His speech was drowned by the rabble.
His plea was drowned in/by the clatter of hooves.
Top answer
Anonymous What leads us to use ... Imitation of others, mostly. It is less metaphoric when the original image (being in water) is not preserved.
- Anonymous What leads us to use ...
- Imitation of others, mostly.
- It is less metaphoric when the original image (being in water) is not preserved.
- The use of by tends to block the metaphor, turning drown into a verb that is less metaphorical with a new, though related, meaning that has more to do with hearing.
- CJ
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2 Answers
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AnonymousWhat leads us to use ...Imitation of others, mostly. It is less metaphoric when the original image (being in water) is not preserved. The use of by tends to block the metaphor, turning drown into a verb that is less metaphorical with a new, though related, meaning that has more to do with hearing.
CJ
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Anonymous He was drowned in the raging torrent.
His speech was drowned by the rabble.
His plea was drowned in/by the clatter of hooves. It seems possible to me that we're confusing "drowned" as a metaphor with "drowned out" as an idiom, in which case "by" is the preposition of choice.
Both of your examples would more commonly be found with
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