294. ¿Qué significan across y through?

Across significa, sencillamente, ‘pasar de un lado al otro’:

After finishing work, Jackie walked across town to her favourite bar.

They drove across Illinois, and Iowa, and then, finally, into Lincoln, Nebraska.

‘They’re lovely,’ Max shouted across the street.

Simone, take the drinks across to table 4, please.

Aunque también se puede utilizar para indicar que algo se encuentra al otro lado:

We live across the railway lines, in area called Ordell.

Through significa ‘entrar algo por un lado y salir por el otro’ o ‘pasar por dentro’:

Suddenly, Winston came running through the door.

Break on Through (To the Other Side) (título de una canción de The Doors).

Help me carry the chairs through to the meeting room, will you?

It’s quicker if we cut through the park, rather than going round.

Through expresa más la idea de ‘ir desde el principio hasta el final’:

I’m never going to get through all this work before 5!

Ray thumbed through a magazine while he waited.

It is easily the worst film I’ve ever had the misfortune to sit through.

She called the wedding off saying that she couldn’t go through with it.

Tanto through como across se usan con el significado de ‘comunicar’, pero no exactamente de la misma manera.

Across describe el movimiento de información de algún tipo y, en este sentido, puede ser sustituida por over:

What kind of image do we want to put across to clients?

Melanie came across as confident, but I don’t know if she has the required experience.

Through, por su parte, pone el énfasis en el éxito de la comunicación, en conseguir ser oído o entendido, por eso no puede ser sustituido por over. Se usa mucho en las conversaciones sobre comunicaciones telefónicas:

I explained it several times, but just couldn’t get it through to him that it won’t work.

Mr Livingstone? If you could hold for a moment, I’ll put you through.

I’ve phoned several times, but couldn’t get through. Maybe she hasn’t got any signal.