A TV ad for an eyeglass purveyor says their new contacts are for "people who sleep in their lenses." Such a cnstruction makes me think of the smallest man in the Bible. That was the soldier who fell asleep on his watch.

Shouldn't that be "people who sleep with their lenses in"?

Skpeaking of the Bible, according to that tome the person who was the best contortionist was the man who tied his ass to a tree and walked several miles.

I agree, Proof. It doesn't even make sense this way, at least to me.

Interesting how many phrases we have that combine 'sleep' and 'in' or 'on.'

A person:
...sleeps in his pajamas
...sleeps in his bed
...sleeps in on a weekend
...sleeps in the car
...sleeps in Sleep Inn when he travels

but he:
...sleeps on a plane
...sleeps on a carpet or on the sand on a beach
...sleeps on the job (or on his watch)
...sleeps on a date
...sleeps on through a din

Or, in my case, sleeps on next to work.

Is sleeping in a bed any better, do you suppose?

Children are magic: they have sleep-overs

Interesting perspectives with "in" and "on", Metic. If you read them, you can see why "in the lenses" doesn't work. You are "in" the car, or "in" your pajamas, or "in" the Inn. But you are not "in" the lenses; they are "on" your eyes.

quote:

But you are not "in" the lenses; they are "on" your eyes.

I'd say the lenses are in your eyes. People talk about "putting their contacts in".

And you put someone's eye out even though it may not detach.

Last night I shot an elephant in my contact lenses (etc.)

quote:

People talk about "putting their contacts in".

True, and yet sleeping in your lenses just doesn't sound right. I envision this big lense surrounding the person who is sleeping.

quote:

yet sleeping in your lenses just doesn't sound right

And "sleeping with your lenses" sounds perversely erotic.