[Vocabulary] be found in/sat on

[hhtt21]

Here is the original from Shutter Island.

1. "Ashecliffe Hospital sat on the central plain of the island’s northwestern side."

The verb sat on, I think, identifies and describes the location of a building. Does "be found in" not do the same? What do you think about this version?


2. "Ashecliffe Hospital was found in the central plain of the island’s northwestern side."

Thank you.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Here is the original from Shutter Island.

1. "Ashecliffe Hospital sat on the central plain of the island’s northwestern side."

The verb sat on, I think, identifies and describes the location of a building.

Yes, it tells us where it sat.

Does "be found in" not do the same? What do you think about this version?

2. "Ashecliffe Hospital was found in the central plain of the island’s northwestern side."

That makes it sound like it was discovered. You could say was situated in or was located on, but it would mean extra syllables.

Thank you.

You're welcome!

 

[hhtt21]

That makes it sound like it was discovered. You could say was situated in or was located on, but it would mean extra syllables.

You are right, and Lexico agrees with you but textbooks use "be found in" in a different way, similar to "sit" and "locate" in this topic.

Identify (something) as being present (lexico)

Would you please look at this example?

"The Command Window is found on the right-hand side of the MATLAB desktop" (from Matlab Demystified by David MacMahon).

In the above sentence "is found on" clearly describes the location of "the command window" which is different than "command windows was discovered". Does "is found in" not mean "is located"?

 

[Rover_KE]

Here is the original from Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane.

You forgot to name the author.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

You are right, and Lexico agrees with you but textbooks use "be found in" in a different way, similar to "sit" and "locate" in this topic.

Would you please look at this example?

"The Command Window is found on the right-hand side of the MATLAB desktop" (from Matlab Demystified by David MacMahon).

That's a good use of the expression.

In the above sentence "is found on" clearly describes the location of "the command window"

Yes, it does.

which is different than "command windows was discovered".

Yes, it is.

Does "is found in" not mean "is located"?

Sometimes.

Lehane is not asking you to locate the asylum on a map. He's telling you where it is.

This is another extremely minor point of usage. It should not spoil your enjoyment of the book.