from or in?

xprain   Wed May 16, 2007 10:04 pm GMT
I have few questions about the prepostions in and from.

1. In my point of view // from my point of view.

What are the diffrences and which one is right?
(should I say "What's the difference or what are the differences? plrural or singular??)


2. In my experience // from my experience.

what's the difference?(or What are the differences?)

thanks.
furrykef   Thu May 17, 2007 1:13 am GMT
I would say "What's the difference?" unless it's clear that they have more than one difference between them.

The phrase "from my point of view" is a metaphor: imagine standing at point A and looking at point B. You're looking at point B *from* point A. But it has become more abstract than that, so people started saying "in my point of view" to mean "in my way of thinking". Because of that, there are ways you can use the phrase where you can't use "from", for instance, "How does this theory fit into your point of view?" (meaning "how does it fit into your way of thinking?"). However, one must "look at it from my point of view" and not "look at it in my point of view". But when it's used to introduce a thought, for instance, "From my point of view, it seems pretty good," you can probably use either form, but I would prefer "from", which is the more common form for that construction.

There is a similar thing going on with the phrases "in my experience" and "from my experience". People can "speak from experience", meaning, "to speak from the point of view of their experiences". But any event that they have participated in would be "in their experience"... imagine their "experience" being a container that they put these events into. When the phrase is used to introduce a thought, the phrase usually used is "In my experience...": "In my experience, bicycling around the city without a helmet and kneepads isn't a good idea." But the phrase "from my experience" would still be possible, too.

- Kef
Priscilla   Thu May 17, 2007 8:13 am GMT
Only "from" is correct, there.

Similar:

What can you see (perspective) from where you are standing?
xprain   Thu May 17, 2007 10:40 am GMT
Oh, alright thanks guys
so I'd be better off say "from my point of view" rather than "in my point of view" in general.

Thanks a lot!

Thanks for the elavorated explanation furrykef!
furrykef   Thu May 17, 2007 10:46 am GMT
Yes, it would be best to generally stick to "from my point of view" and "in my experience", respectively.

- Kef