ABSTRACT
Prepositions are those smaller bits of language and shorter words that function to situate things, people, and ideas in concrete space, as well as to locate events and occurrence in time. Prepositions also take on highly abstract and metaphorical meanings. The meanings of all prepositions can be traced back to their essential core meaning that situates entities within concrete space. The essential core meanings of each preposition that denote location or direction within physical space can be graphically represented in such a way that they designate a conceptual progression from concrete space to more abstract representations of time to figurative and metaphorical usages. Phrasal verb particles that are derived from prepositions can also be traced back to the essential core meaning of the original preposition designating concrete physical space.
