spit in/on the face

[Offroad]

Dear teachers

Could you help me understand the difference between 'in' and 'on' on this particular case?

He was spat in the face by his enemy.
The prisioner was spat on by the guards.

Thank you

 

[5jj]

If you spit at somebody, you aim the liquid but it may not reach the target.
Those of us who indulge in such disgusting habits normally spit in somebody's face, on their person and (metaphorically) on their beliefs.

 

[emsr2d2]

"He was spat in the face by ..." sounds very unnatural to me.

 

[Offroad]

These were taken from the Oxford Avanced Learners Dictionary:

spit at/on/in somebody/something.

1. The prisoners were spat on by their guards.
   
2. She spat in his face and went out.
   
3. A gang of youths swore and spat at officials outside the stadium.

Thank you

 

[emsr2d2]

These were taken from the Oxford Avanced Learners Dictionary:

spit at/on/in somebody/something.

1. The prisoners were spat on by their guards.
   
2. She spat in his face and went out.
   
3. A gang of youths swore and spat at officials outside the stadium.

Thank you

Those are all fine. None of them uses the construction used in "He was spat in the face by ..."

 

[Offroad]

I just thought that if a sentence is constructed like that, its equivalent in/on the passive voice would use the same preposition:

She spat in his face.
He was spat [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE]/on the face by her.

Thank you

 

[bhaisahab]

I just thought that if a sentence is constructed like that, its equivalent in/on the passive voice would use the same preposition:

She spat in his face.
He was spat [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE]/on the face by her.

Thank you

No, that's not correct. If you want to make it passive (I can't think why you would) it would be "His face was spat in by her".

 

[emsr2d2]

I agree with bhai but I would like to add that "His face was spat in by her" is so unlikely that it also sounds unnatural.

 

[5jj]

I agree with ems, and with bhai's "I can't think why you would".