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Thread: to jump in/into the water

  1. #1
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    Default to jump in/into the water

    He jumped in the water.

    He jumped into the water.
    Which of these two is correct? To my understanding, the latter, because when talking about motion, into should be used. However, when it's the location that matters, in should be used.

    However, if I google "jumped in the water", I still get many hits. How come? Am I wrong, or do even native speakers use in and into interchangeably?

    Thank you in advance.
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  2. #2
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    Default Re: to jump in/into the water

    ***** NOT A TEACHER *****


    (1) I checked Mr. Michael Swan's reliable Practical English Usage.

    He advises us to use "into" when we think of the movement itself:

    The children keep jumping into the flowerbeds.

    He advises us to use "in" when we think more of the end of the movement:

    Go and jump in the river.

    (2) Here in the United States of America, we have a phrase that some people say

    when they are angry with someone, but they do not want to say anything too

    strong:

    Go jump in the lake! (It is NOT so strong as: Go to H - - -! )

  3. #3
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    Default Re: to jump in/into the water

    Google hits are not to be considered a good source for correct English.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: to jump in/into the water

    Quote Originally Posted by Chicken Sandwich View Post
    Which of these two is correct? To my understanding, the latter, because when talking about motion, into should be used. However, when it's the location that matters, in should be used.

    However, if I google "jumped in the water", I still get many hits. How come?
    Google collates incorrect English as well as correct English.

    Am I wrong, or do even native speakers use in and into interchangeably?

    Thank you in advance.
    I get > 5 million hits for "jump on the water".
    There will now be one more.
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  5. #5
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    Default Re: to jump in/into the water

    There are only 817 for "jump at the water", but it's there.
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  6. #6
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    Default Re: to jump in/into the water

    Quote Originally Posted by bhaisahab View Post
    Google hits are not to be considered a good source for correct English.
    You're absolutely right, I was just perplexed that there were 22.5 million hits for "jumped in the water" but only 17.8 million for "jumped into the water".

    However, I know that Google is not a reliable source.
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  7. #7
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    Default Re: to jump in/into the water

    You amateurs are not really trying. I got 65 million hits for jumped before the water, and 1,400 when I put those words inside inverted commas.
    bhaisahab and TheParser like this.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


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