Particles in Phrasal Verbs and Prepositions as a Whole.
I've become really interested in the logic behind phrasal verbs, especially the way the preposition/particle often seems to carry the core idea, while the verb adds more specific “flavor” or nuance.
Not always, of course, but for the most part, it seems to work that way. I keep noticing patterns like:
calm down / settle down / cool down / simmer down
Here, down seems to point to lowering intensity.
Or:
hash things out / sort things out / work things out / iron things out / straighten things out
Here, out seems to suggest bringing a problem into the open, processing it, and reaching some kind of resolution.
And there are tons of other examples. Almost as if particles have recurring functions that show up again and again in English.
Does anyone else see phrasal verbs this way? Like, not as just random combinations, but as patterns where the particle carries a lot of the conceptual meaning?
I've seen a few people explain them this way online, but they’re few and far between. Curious to hear your thoughts.
