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According to Merriam-Webster the common ground is

a basis of mutual interest or agreement

and the basis is

the principal component of something

Both are often used in the context of being found (like a place). Wikipedia states that finding common ground is a technique for facilitating interpersonal relationships. Historically, it refers to the commons, which in many communities were a place which was available to everyone, such as the village pump, or the sidewalk of a road. Yet in her 1888 novel "Robert Elsmere" Mary Augusta wrote

What common ground was there between him and any such exquisite youth?

I could find many examples for both what and where being used in questions asking for the common ground or the basis.

All four of these grammatical constructions are widely being used:

  • What is the common ground for A and B?
  • Where is the common ground for A and B?
  • What is the basis for X?
  • Where is the basis for X?

Are all of them correct? Do the what versions differ in meaning from the where versions?

Thanks in advance.

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  • Unless the common ground is really a place, I'd go for what since it specifies mutual elements of the two parties.
    – Vlammuh
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 13:42
  • Yopu shouldn't overplay the significance of principal component in one specific definition of basis, when that word also turns up in a definition of common ground. Idiomatically it's quite normal to identify some relatively peripheral aspects/attitudes as "common ground" - they only need to be common to (shared by) both A and B. It's purely a stylistic preference whether you ask what or where any such common ground actually is.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 13:45
  • Okay, so it's safe to say all versions are correct and do not differ in meaning, correct?
    – Jascha Goltermann
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 14:35
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    (1) Dictionaries don't give grammatical information, at least not willingly. (2) Whether you use where referring to a metaphoric 'common ground', or whether you use what, depends on how seriously you're pushing the metaphor. It's perfectly acceptable to say Where is the common ground here?, but it's equally acceptable to say What instead. There is no difference in meaning, nor in grammar, but the Mind Is Land metaphor theme that licenses the common ground metaphor will be strengthened. This may or may not be the effect you want, however.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 14:54
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    @JohnLawler I get the feeling though that where here gives the impression that the speaker thinks there isn't any common ground, whereas what might make us presuppose there is, depending on the context of course.
    – Araucaria - Him
    Commented Aug 7, 2015 at 3:19

2 Answers 2

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It's a metaphor, and can be used with either what or where. "What" is more common, I think.

Each has a different (potential) meaning:

"What is the common ground between A and B" is a more simple question, I think, but it assumes that there is common ground - there may not be. You're asking the listener to describe it.

"Where is the common ground between A and B" could have the same meaning, and may be intended to mean that in many cases. I think it carries less of an assumption that the common ground actually exists. However, it could also have the following meanings:

  • How do we get to the common ground? Ie, how do we find out what it is?
  • I expected there to be common ground, but I can't see it.
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"What" is asking for the nature or essence of the common ground, but "where" seems to ask the place or location (in reality or in a text) the nature or essence can be found.

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