The boat is sailing under/through the tunnel.

[Tan Elaine]

The boat is sailing under/through the tunnel.

Can either word be used? Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Have you looked up 'under' in any dictionary?

 

[Tan Elaine]

I am confused by the sentence "The train moved through the tunnel."

 

[5jj]

That's correct. If it moved under a tunnel, it would be in another tunnel underneath the first. If it's short enough to move under, it's a bridge, not a tunnel. Think of a tunnel as a tube.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's a commonly misused concept. I used to work on the Eurostar trains between London and Paris. Those trains travel in/through the Channel Tunnel but I have heard the phrase "I'm under the Channel Tunnel. It's so exciting!" more times than I care to count. Being "under the Channel Tunnel" would be impossible, impractical and fatal!

 

[charliedeut]

Call me ignorant, but to me, the original concept of a boat sailing either "through" or "under" a tunnel sounds strange, unless you are speaking of the boats/gondolas in a fun park attraction (such as "The Tunnel of Love" or a rollercoaster).

 

[emsr2d2]

Call me ignorant, but to me, the original concept of a boat sailing either "through" or "under" a tunnel sounds strange, unless you are speaking of the boats/gondolas in a fun park attraction (such as "The Tunnel of Love" or a rollercoaster).

Barges go through tunnels frequently. See here.

 

[5jj]

I shall be away in May on a narrowboat holiday. I shall go through at least six tunnels.

 

[charliedeut]

Barges go through tunnels frequently. See here.

I shall be away in May on a narrowboat holiday. I shall go through at least six tunnels.

So it's official then: luckily for everyone potentially involved, I'm not making a living in any field even remotely connected to sailing! :rofl:

 

[BobK]

It's a commonly misused concept. I used to work on the Eurostar trains between London and Paris. Those trains travel in/through the Channel Tunnel but I have heard the phrase "I'm under the Channel Tunnel. It's so exciting!" more times than I care to count. Being "under the Channel Tunnel" would be impossible, impractical and fatal!

But somewhere like this gives scope for all sorts of strange prepositions; there really is a tunnel under the canal. Best not to try sailing through it though

b

PS 5JJ - quite near where I was born, so probably on the Grand Union Canal.