[Grammar] By, while, from: are they all correct?

[dilodi83]

Are they all correct in this context?

Another Stoic, called Chysippus, is said to have died by,while,from laughing at his own joke!

 

[5jj]

Are they all correct in this context?

Another Stoic, called Chysippus, is said to have died by,while,from laughing at his own joke!

'By' is very unlikely. The other two are correct, though 'while sounds a little strange; they have slightly different implications. The sentence is also possible with no preposition.

 

[bhaisahab]

Are they all correct in this context?

Another Stoic, called Chysippus, is said to have died by,while,from laughing at his own joke!

"from" and "while" both work. They have different meanings though, "from" means that laughing caused his death; "while" simply means that he died during the period of time that he was laughing, we don't know the cause.

 

[dilodi83]

Thanks so much for your explanation, but could you tell me why the by + ing construction is not possible or unlikely?