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Could please anyone explain why contrast is followed by in, not with or to in this sentence from Cambridge Dictionary?

We use actually to indicate a new topic of conversation or a change or contrast in what is being talked about.

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  • They're all acceptable. But you can only choose one, as the writer has done.
    – John Lawler
    Commented Jan 31, 2023 at 15:16
  • I think "in" properly locates the subject of what is being discussed in the discourse (person's speech) itself. "In what we are saying, there is only truth". "in" is used for locations. So, the contrast is "in" what is being talked about. In other words, in "refers to what is being talked about". :) Hope that is clear.
    – Lambie
    Commented May 31, 2023 at 14:06

3 Answers 3

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This question is similar to a question recently asked; this answer is applicable here. The usual prepositions are "between", "with" and "to" and they introduce a noun complement. As "in" does not introduce a complement, it must be an adjunct. This adjunct, "in what is being talked about", tells where a contrast is found; it must be understood that it is found betwween the elements constituting what is being talked about.

Answer to comment from user anna299

I made up two examples that are plausible but not to be taken, as concerns what they say from a sociological point of view, as accurate accounts of real professional discussions. They show that the two prepositions correspond to two different contexts and that, incidentally, the phrase could have been "contrast in/to what is being talked about". In my opinion, the prepositions cannot be interchanged in either one of the two examples below.

  1. The question of raising children is a matter that is difficult to consider in the context of working parents in the nuclear family. There are six cases to consider. Actually, the case of working parents who both work numerous overtime hours is not to be considered because it appears impossible to preserve much of a family life in such a work context.

"Actually" is used to indicate a contradiction in what is being talked about, that is, the various types of contexts which are those concerning working parents.

  1. The question of raising children is a matter that is difficult to consider in the context of working parents in the nuclear family. There are six cases to consider. Actually, the extended family does not usually give rise to the basic questions about raising children.

"Actually" is used to indicate a contrast to what is being talked about, that is, the nuclear family.

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  • Thanks for the reply! If the sentence were contrast to what is being talked about would its meaning really change somehow, in your opinion? Maybe only formally?
    – anna299
    Commented Apr 15, 2020 at 9:57
  • @anna299 Apparently the notification of your comment was never properly made evident to me, so it is only now, after today's new activity that I see it. I'll make an addition to my answer.
    – LPH
    Commented May 31, 2023 at 18:36
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Removing the conjunction you get 3 sentences

We use actually to indicate a new topic of conversation

We use actually to indicate a change in what is being talked about

We use actually to indicate a contrast in what is being talked about

"Contrast in" is used in identifying where the contrast is. For instance, "Contrast in appearance"

The other versions are generally used to actively compare different instances.

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  • Thank you for the reply! Maybe you meant "Contrast in" is used in identifying the object of contrast? Appearance looks like an object in your example. What do you mean by saying that it identifies criteria? Please give an example if possible.
    – anna299
    Commented Apr 15, 2020 at 10:07
  • I was using those terms colloquially, I have corrected my answer for clarity
    – Arunkgp
    Commented Apr 15, 2020 at 10:14
  • "in" can identify the nature of the difference (as this answer describes), but it can also identify the category in which all the different things are found e.g. "a difference in the documents".
    – Stuart F
    Commented May 31, 2023 at 14:19
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I think it simply means that the part that follows actually in a sentence, will contain a new topic of conversation or a change or contrast compared to something that was asserted before actually. For example:

I was looking forward to reading your work on freedom of speech. Actually, the majority of the essay regards the question of women's emancipation.

The clause "the majority of the essay regards the question of women's emancipation" is introduced by actually, because there is a contrast IN it: between your work on freedom of speech and the majority of the essay regards the question of women's emancipation.

"IN" merely expresses where something is:

it expresses the situation of something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else. (Oxford Languages)

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