Upon vs. On

[shatilof]

What difference does it make for a native speaker when they hear e.g. The smile on your face vs. The smile upon your face?

The real question is of course broader: when/why longer prepositions are used instead of their shorter forms? Does it sound more sophisticated? Is it just the same?

Thank you in advance.

 

[bhaisahab]

'The smile upon your face' is unnatural.

 

[shatilof]

'The smile upon your face' is unnatural.

..but why? Old fashioned? Outdated?

I have just heard it in a song.

 

[teechar]

I have just heard it in a song.

Song lyrics have all sorts of expressions in them.

 

[shatilof]

Song lyrics have all sorts of expressions in them.

Ok, but when exactly would you say upon instead of just on

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't think of any context in which "upon" has to be used instead of "on".

He put the cup upon the table = He put the cup on the table.
It depends upon what he decides to do = It depends on what he decides to do.
He stood upon the egg = He stood on the egg.

In each case, "on" is more natural.

 

[shatilof]

What about stuff like:

He climbed upon his horse and rode off.
There is a television antenna upon every house in the neighborhood.
The enemy was upon us and our soldiers had little time to escape.

 

[emsr2d2]

In the first, I'd use "onto".
In the second, I'd use "on".

However, you have found an example (with your third sentence) in which "upon" is the standard use. Well done!

 

[shatilof]

Could there be a difference between AmE and BrE?

 

[emsr2d2]

Possibly. You'll have to wait for some responses from AmE speakers.

 

[andrewg927]

As an AE speaker, I find upon and on almost interchangeable (you can't replace upon with on in "once upon a time). However, I consider upon a lot more formal than on. If you want to write a story, upon is fine but on is much more conversational. Regarding your examples, all are okay with upon but again on is much more common because it is less formal.

 

[jutfrank]

upon is a bit more formal, more old-fashioned, and a bit more poetic (hence the song lyric) than on.

 

[GoesStation]

I almost never say upon.​ I use it in writing though.