Build, erect, put up, go up

[retro]

Hi!

i've got a question on the proper use of the following verbs: build, erect, put up and go up. Can we use them interchangeably? Is it OK to say:

They built/put up/erected a house, a fence, a statue, a wall or barriers?

Can a fence, a statue, a tent or any building go up aside from a wall?

[MikeNewYork]

Hi!

i've got a question on the proper use of the following verbs: build, erect, put up and go up. Can we use them interchangeably? Is it OK to say:

They built/put up/erected a house, a fence, a statue, a wall or barriers?

Can a fence, a statue, a tent or any building go up aside from a wall?

They are not completely interchangeable. I would not say "build a fence" unless it is massive and contains more than wire. I would not use "build a statue very often. I would not "erect" a fence or a wall unless it was very tall.

Yes, to the second, but a wall can go up also.

[mykwyner]

I wouldn't use build, put up or go up with statue. (They are all fine with your other nouns.) Those verbs are (to my ear) too much like the word make. One doesn't make a work of art. One can create or construct a work of art, and possibly erect it somewhere, but build a statue just doesn't sound right to me.