“Equivalent part on my body” or “the equivalent part of my body”?

What's the correct option? The former yields zero results on Google the latter has one. So, I'm not very sure about the correct answer.

Example sentence:

She stood silently beside me, her shoulder and hip making contact with the equivalent parts of/on my body.

3 Answers
3

The sentence: She stood silently beside me, her shoulder and hip making contact with the equivalent parts of/on my body.

can be simplified by writing it this way:

She stood silently beside me, her shoulder and hip touching mine.

meaning: her shoulder and hip were touching my shoulder and hip.

The pronoun mine makes it unnecessary to make the sentence longer.

If you wanted to explain what was happening, you'd be better off saying ...her shoulder and hip making contact with mine. It's clear, concise and neater prose.

If you insisted on your own construction, your shoulder and hip are parts of your body rather than on your body.

On your body is really better suited to describing tattoos, blemishes or other marks.

While preferences are personal, I wouldn't be keen on body's counterparts as an option.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpart

She stood silently beside me, her shoulder and hip making contact with the equivalent parts of/on my body.

of - equivalent parts of my body - standing or lying side by side.

on - equivalent parts on my body - subject is on your body.

under - equivalent parts under my body - subject is under your body (in contact).

below - equivalent parts below my body - subject is under your body (probably non-contact).

above - equivalent parts above my body - subject is above your body (non-contact).

over - equivalent parts over my body - subject is above your body (probably in contact)

Exception:

Someone or something can be on you if it's not in contact with something else, particularly the ground; when referring to the other object/person in its entirety and equivalently.

Examples:

You are standing and someone is standing on your feet.

both are not the same height, then their feet are on yours, there isn't an equivalency.

both are a similar height and holding hands then each person's parts are touching equivalent parts of the other's body.

The word to also means beside, as long as you are not either on or under.

I put my hand to their forehead. (Implies side by side).

They were lying down face up, and I put my hand on their forehead.

They were lying down face down, and I put my hand under their forehead.

There's no opportunity to use of.

You can put your hand on (above or beside) or under a different part of someone's body (or something), without an equivalency there's nothing to be equivalent of.

How do I choose between "as to", "on", "of", and "about"?

Provides information “on”, “of” or “about” somthing?

Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language Learners Stack Exchange!

But avoid …

To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.

Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.

Please pay close attention to the following guidance:

But avoid …

To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.

Required, but never shown

Required, but never shown

By clicking "Post Your Answer", you acknowledge that you have read our updated terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy, and that your continued use of the website is subject to these policies.