<dessus / là-dessus et dedans / là-dedans >

[lofty horizon]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

<dessus / là-dessus et dedans / là-dedans >

[steady arch]

"là-dessus" : on this thing that I'm pointing to
"dessus": on it (on the thing I just talked about)

[inner delta]

Does « là-dessus » imply pointing?

For example, if I said « Je me suis renseigné là-dessus », am I strictly pointing at something?

Because I thought that « là-dessus » meant « sur cette chose/ce sujet »

[steady arch]

hmm I guess that was a bad analogy. It's more about introducing the thing explicitely by "that", as opposed to replacing it by a pronoun and saying "it".

Je me suis renseigné là-dessus: I looked into that
Je me suis renseigné dessus: I looked into it

Tu veux que je pose les livres dessus? Do you want me to place the books on it? (a thing we just mentioned)

Tu veux que je pose les livres là-dessus? Do you want me to place the books on this thing/surface?

[inner delta]

Ah, okay, would it be accurate to say that « là-dessus » introduces something new whereas « dessus « is something that is already known?

[steady arch]

yes that sounds pretty accurate. Though it's entirely possible to say "I looked into that" when we're already talking about something. Similarly, you can say "Je me suis renseigné là-dessus". It's really the same difference as this/that vs it

[inner delta]

I’m just talking about the figurative meaning of « sur » like « se renseigner sur qqch ». It’s not like a literal on top of something

[inner delta]

Ah, okay, would you say that both happen equally in frequency or is one preferred over the other?

[steady arch]

dessus = on it
là-dessus = on this / on that

[steady arch]

I don't think one is preferred over the other

one will likely be more natural than the other in a given context

similar to "on it" vs "on this/that"

[inner delta]

Alright, then, thank you!

Oh, I forgot, would this also apply to « dedans » and « là-dedans » ?

Je voudrais pas m’impliquer dedans = I wouldn’t like to get involved in it

Je voudrais pas m’impliquer là-dedans = I wouldn’t like to get involved in that

[inner delta]

.

[steady arch]

Yes, that's right

same exact logic

also dessous / là-dessous

under it / under that

[inner delta]

Thanks again!