# Proper English pt. 3 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559 "2011-02-16T07:53:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/1 "2011-02-16T07:53:10Z")
Can I put this in the box, put it into the box, or both? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/2 "2011-02-16T08:43:54Z")
Both. Occasionally in or into would make a difference, with in meanside ‘within’ and and 'into meaning ‘from outside to inside:’ ‘He ran in London’ vs ‘he ran into London’ or ‘they bumped in John’ (not very likely, but something could be bumping around side John) or ‘they bumped into John,’ but with ‘put’ either’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/3 "2011-02-16T08:52:32Z")
Not both, but either. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/4 "2011-02-16T09:05:14Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > Not both, but either. 😉 Either option is correct, and both options are correct; both of these statements are correct. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/5 "2011-02-16T09:48:03Z")
Both. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/6 "2011-02-16T10:42:58Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Either option is correct, and both options are correct; both of these statements are correct. Both options are correct, but you can’t put this in the box _and_ put it into the box unless you have two of them! (Or you take it out again first.) Or, you could look at it another way. Either option is correct, but both options would be redundant! Either way. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/7 "2011-02-16T14:49:55Z")
In can be used either locationally or directionally: “I slee in my house” vs. “He walked in the house and closed the door behind him.” In the latter usage only it’s synonymous with “into”. (Note in passing that Latin made this distinction by having the object of Latin _in_ be accusative (when it ment into) or ablative/locative (when it meant within).) Connotatively, “into” stresses the idea of entrance while directional “in” takes a broader focus of the full sequence of relocation. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/8 "2011-02-16T17:23:48Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > In can be used either locationally or directionally: “I slee in my house” vs. “He walked in the house and closed the door behind him.” In the latter usage only it’s synonymous with “into”. (Note in passing that Latin made this distinction by having the object of Latin _in_ be accusative (when it ment into) or ablative/locative (when it meant within).) I recall something like this from high school German, where a preposition like “in” takes the accusative or the dative case depending on whether it’s used directionally or locationally. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/9 "2011-02-16T17:54:46Z")
The verb itself in the OP, _put_, has an interesting restriction in its modern, _ **non-phrasal** _ use: it always takes an object and a locative expression: EX: _put this in the box_ but never… \*_put in the box_ \*_put this_ OR: _Could you put the dish on the shelf?_ but never… \*Could you put the dish? \*Could you put on the shelf? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/10 "2011-02-16T18:57:23Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > In can be used either locationally or directionally: “I slee in my house” vs. “He walked in the house and closed the door behind him.” You may slee in your house, Polycarp, but you certainly wouldn’t be allowed to in mine. Heck, I make people take their shoes off at the door. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-english-pt-3/571559/11 "2011-02-16T20:22:17Z")
I think the P eloped with **Ralph** ’s missing U’s. 😉