[Grammar] Come From Poverty

[irane]

I think something is not right in this sentence found on the web:

1 "He came from poverty."

According to this dictionary ( macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/come-from ), definition 2b for "come from" says a person can "come from a poor family", but not "come from poverty". So, is sentence 1 wrong?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I think something is not right in this sentence found on the web:

1 "He came from poverty."

According to this dictionary ( macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/come-from ), definition 2b for "come from" says a person can "come from a poor family", but not "come from poverty". So, is sentence 1 wrong?

No, the sentence is correct and is used.

 

[irane]

No, the sentence is correct and is used.

Does that mean I could write:

"He came from sadness."

to mean:

"He came from a sad family."

?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Does that mean I could write:

"He came from sadness."

to mean:

"He came from a sad family."

?

No.

 

[irane]

But,

"He came from sadness."

is very similar to:

"He came from poverty."

, just as:

"He came from a sad family."

is very similar to:

"He came from a poor family."

 

[MikeNewYork]

But,

"He came from sadness."

is very similar to:

"He came from poverty."

, just as:

"He came from a sad family."

is very similar to:

"He came from a poor family."

I'm afraid English doesn't work that way.

 

[irane]

How is "he came from sadness" different from "he came from poverty"? Both "sadness" and "poverty" are states.

 

[Raymott]

How is "he came from sadness" different from "he came from poverty"? Both "sadness" and "poverty" are states.

"Coming from poverty" is idiomatic; "coming from sadness" isn't.

 

[MikeNewYork]

How is "he came from sadness" different from "he came from poverty"? Both "sadness" and "poverty" are states.

English does not work by formulas. If you can't get that, you are in for a rough time.

We say: "I am going home."
But we don't say "I am going store."

There is no answer to the "why" question.

 

[bhaisahab]

Thread closed. Clone of banned user.