# To be prone to/ to be bound to



## argentina84

Is it ok to say: *I am prone to* writ*ing* long mails? What does it exactly mean? In what contexts can I use this phrase?

Is there any difference between the *to be prone* *to* and the *to be bound to* constructions? What are they?

Thanks a lot!


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## bibliolept

He is prone to = he often does this, Prone to

He is bound to = he will most likely do this, he will surely do this, bound to , was bound to , be bound to , This is bound to be a success.


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## JamesM

Yes.  Also, "bound to" uses the infinitive, not the gerund:

"He's prone to writing long emails."

but

"He's bound to write long emails."  (just as in bibliolept's success example)


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## argentina84

So, can I say this:

"I try to control myself, because I am *prone to* inundat*ing *people with long mails daily"?

Thanks!


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## bibliolept

Your sentence is correct; though the comma is not necessary, it is idiomatic.


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## panjandrum

It's a strange word, prone, adjective.

In one sense it means lying horizontal.

In the sense used here, it means having an inclination or tendency to do something.  There is a little more sense of an almost-but-not compulsive, involuntary, predisposition to do it than comes across to me from "he often does it".

He often does it because he is prone to doing it.


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## Loob

argentina84 said:


> So, can I say this:
> 
> "I try to control myself, because I am *prone to* inundat*ing *people with long mails daily"?
> 
> Thanks!


 argentina84: perfect! (tiny point: I would say _emails_ rather than _mails_)

Now try one with "bound to"

Loob


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## bibliolept

Because there is nothing quite as pretentious as quoting oneself:


bibliolept said:


> "Prone" is less common when used to describe oneself. It sounds awkward to my AE ears in the first sentence you suggested, perhaps because *prone has a certain connotation of almost being involuntary or reflexive*--


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## argentina84

Loob said:


> argentina84: perfect! (tiny point: I would say _emails_ rather than _mails_)
> 
> Now try one with "bound to"
> 
> Loob


 
mmm Let me try with this one:

I am *bound to* smile at anyone who looks at me.

Is it ok? And thanks for the encouragement!


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## Loob

argentina84 said:


> mmm Let me try with this one:
> 
> I am *bound to* smile at anyone who looks at me.
> 
> Is it ok? And thanks for the encouragement!


 
This one's really difficult. "Bound" is (basically) the past tense of  "bind", which means "tied up with rope or string".  Sometimes it can have the meaning of go: _I'm bound for pastures new:_ I'm going to somewhere new.  And _I'm homeward-bound_ means I'm going home.

But in general "bound to" means "it is inevitable that": _we're bound to die: "it is inevitable that we will die"._

I don't think you would say:
I am *bound to* smile at anyone who looks at me.
unless you meant "the fates have decreed that I smile/ I have no choice but to smile"....

Let's keep talking about "bound"!

Loob


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## Prairiefire

In the US, you would easily and naturally say, "I am bound to smile at anyone who looks at me."

In that sentence, in AE conversation, 'bound' has almost the same meaning as 'prone.' 

_'Bound to'_ means it's almost certain that you will smile; _'prone to'_ means it's quite likely.


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## argentina84

Ok!  What about this one?:

"I am/We are *bound to* make mistakes" (It's inevitably that I/we will make mistakes).

The one in the first person refers to my making languages mistakes;D. The later refers to our inperfect human condition. Are they right?

Thanks!


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## bibliolept

"I/we am/are bound to make mistakes" is idiomatic.


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## argentina84

bibliolept said:


> "I/we am/are bound to make mistakes" is idiomatic.


 
I'm sorry for my ignorance. But what does "to be idiomatic" mean?

Thanks!


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## panjandrum

I am bound to make mistakes.
...
A good example of the use of bound to.
It is (almost) inevitable that I will make one or more mistakes.


I am bound to smile at anyone who looks at me.
For some reason that I can't explain, this is not a natural sentence.  It suggests a degree of compulsion that is very uncomfortable.

If anyone looks at me I am bound to smile.
I am bound to smile if anyone looks at me.
I think that there has to be some conditional element associated with "bound to".


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## bibliolept

argentina84 said:


> I'm sorry for my ignorance. But what does "to be idiomatic" mean?
> 
> Thanks!



What I mean is that it would sound normal to a speaker of American English: it is "characteristic" of AE.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/idiomatic


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## argentina84

panjandrum said:


> I am bound to smile at anyone who looks at me.
> It suggests a degree of compulsion that is very uncomfortable.


 
Yes! Now that you say it, I realize! (and that is not what I meant to say).


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## Prairiefire

argentina84 said:


> Ok! What about this one?:
> 
> "I am/We are *bound to* make mistakes" (It's inevitably that I/we will make mistakes).


 
The literal meaning of 'bound' would lead you to believe that _'I am bound to make mistakes'_ means _'I will inevitably make mistakes,_' but as native English speakers actually use that idiom, it means _'it is *almost* inevitable that I will make mistakes."_

If the speaker truly wanted to say that mistakes are inevitable, he or she would say one of these:

_I'm sure I'll make mistakes._

_I am going to make mistakes._

_It's certain that I'll make mistakes._


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## bibliolept

I don't think there's a significant change in "certainty" between "I'm sure I'll make mistakes," "I'm certain to make mistakes," and "I'm bound to make mistakes" in AE.
"I'm bound to make mistakes" sounds quite natural in AE. I cannot say the same for "It's certain that I'll make mistakes," which sounds a bit stilted or verbose.


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## Prairiefire

To you, do they all mean _inevitable_?


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## bibliolept

Prairiefire said:


> To you, do they all mean _inevitable_?



I think so. Sometimes it's said with an air of hope ("My keys are bound to be here somewhere") or with an air of resignation ("I'm bound to make a mistake"), but the idea is that you expect that it will happen.


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## Prairiefire

Biblio, I asked if you thought those phrases all meant '_inevitable_' and you answered:


bibliolept said:


> I think so. Sometimes it's said with an air of hope ("My keys are bound to be here somewhere") or with an air of resignation ("I'm bound to make a mistake"), but the idea is that you expect that it will happen.


 
Whew. I guess that's just a difference between you and me, then. "_Expect that it will happen_," to me, has several more degrees of uncertainty than '_inevitable_,' which has precisely none.

Oh, well, onward...


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## twen

In this context, I think I would agree that "bound to" indicates certainty and "prone to" indicates likelihood.

My two cents. . .


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## tinlizzy

Argentina-

"Bound to" is the future.  The greater the time frame the more inevitable/certain the statement becomes. 

I'm bound to make a mistake (today).

I'm bound to make a mistake (this year).

I'm bound to make a mistake (in my lifetime).

If a statement like this isn't quantified then it will be open to interpretation by the listener which is why I think Biblio and Prairiefire see the unquantified statement of I'm bound to make a mistake as having different degrees of certainty. 

Yes?


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## Prairiefire

I just looked up 'bound to' in the Oxford English Dictionary, and it has definitions that mix high probability and certainty in the same use: one definition (the one that would fit 'This train is bound for glory') means both '_starting off in that direction_' and '_destined_.'

My ear apparently hears the hint of uncertainty more than other people's ears; my husband agrees with those of you who hear absolute certainty in the 'bound to' phrase.  

But I just can't help but hear a real difference between "My keys are in there," and "My keys are bound to be in there."


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## bibliolept

Prairiefire said:


> I just looked up 'bound to' in the Oxford English Dictionary, and it has definitions that mix high probability and certainty in the same use: one definition (the one that would fit 'This train is bound for glory') means both '_starting off in that direction_' and '_destined_.'
> 
> My ear apparently hears the hint of uncertainty more than other people's ears; my husband agrees with those of you who hear absolute certainty in the 'bound to' phrase.
> 
> But I just can't help but hear a real difference between "My keys are in there," and "My keys are bound to be in there."



I agree with you, actually, but my answer is based on what I believe is the likeliest interpretation.


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## nichec

bibliolept said:


> I don't think there's a significant change in "certainty" between "I'm sure I'll make mistakes," "I'm certain to make mistakes," and "I'm bound to make mistakes" in AE.
> "I'm bound to make mistakes" sounds quite natural in AE. I cannot say the same for "It's certain that I'll make mistakes," which sounds a bit stilted or verbose.


 
I _tend to_ (yet another one ) agree with* bibliolept* here.

Try this, *argentina84*:

I *am prone to* being late to work, so I guess I *am bound to* get fired one day because my new boss is really strict about that.


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## dn88

Hi all, "-prone" can also be used as a suffix. If someone is "accident-prone" for example, he/she often has accidents, the same with "alcohol-prone" (not refraining from drinking alcohol) or "injury-prone" (frequently getting injuries).


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## Moon Palace

Teachers are bound to understand your mistakes. 

Teachers are prone to correct all mistakes they see. 

Could these two examples help to distinguish between the two and show that in the first, what is expressed is that something about the subject (occupation here) makes it inevitable for the person to do what is mentioned later; whereas the second appears to be a natural tendency or a fact that is maybe the consequence of the first one, but that does not _systematically _apply. 

Is that what makes the two different? Sorry if I stereotyped teachers in the process.


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## nichec

Moon Palace said:


> Teachers are bound to understand your mistakes.
> 
> Teachers are prone to correct all mistakes they see.
> 
> Could these two examples help to distinguish between the two and show that in the first, what is expressed is that something about the subject (occupation here) makes it inevitable for the person to do what is mentioned later; whereas the second appears to be a natural tendency or a fact that is maybe the consequence of the first one, but that does not _systematically _apply.
> 
> Is that what makes the two different? Sorry if I stereotyped teachers in the process.


 
For some unknown reason, I would use "tend to" in both your examples.

Teachers *tend to* correct all mistakes they see, and they *tend to* understand them.

4.to be inclined to or have a tendency toward a particular quality, state, or degree: _This wine tends toward the sweet side. _

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=81894&dict=CALD


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## dn88

Are we *bound* *to* use a gerund after "prone to"? According to Cambridge Dictionary (click) "prone to NOUN", "prone to GERUND", "prone to INFINITIVE" are all possible.

Also Google results:

*29,000* for *"prone to doing"
**174,000* for *"prone to do"

*PS:_ Many thanks to my sweet little nichec who contributed to this post. _


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## kenny4528

dn88 said:


> Are we *bound* *to* use a gerund after "prone to"? According to Cambridge Dictionary (click) "prone to NOUN", "prone to GERUND", "prone to INFINITIVE" are all possible.
> 
> Also Google results:
> 
> *29,000* for *"prone to doing"*
> *174,000* for *"prone to do"*
> 
> PS:_ Many thanks to my sweet little nichec who contributed to this post. _


 
prone to INFINITIVE---yes, my dictionary lists this usage.


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## tinlizzy

twen said:


> In this context, I think I would agree that "bound to" indicates certainty and "prone to" indicates likelihood.
> 
> My two cents. . .


 
Moon Palace- It could be a tendency or historical data but really it will come down to the speaker's knowledge about the subject in the sentence when using prone/bound to. (Someone else may not agree with you when you use either statement.)


I really like twens definition, in particular, the word indicates. 

I would add this: "bound to" _indicates _certainty based on a future criteria (looking to the future) and "prone to" _indicates_ likelihood based on past criteria (looking at the past).

I am bound to catch a cold. 

I am prone to catching colds.


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## panjandrum

I can't get to grips with the certainty.
We quite happily say that our team is bound to win the league, now that panj is in charge of the cheerleaders.
I share this view:


			
				prairiefire said:
			
		

> ... I just can't help but hear a real difference between "My keys are in there," and "My keys are bound to be in there."


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## Loob

panjandrum said:


> I can't get to grips with the certainty.


 
As for "prone", this isn't - except indirectly - to do with certainty, likelihood etc.

It means 'susceptible': I'm prone to colds = I'm susceptible to colds = I tend to get a lot of colds.

Loob


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## argentina84

nichec said:


> I *am prone to* being late to work, so I guess I *am bound to* get fired one day because my new boss is really strict about that.


 
Hahaha I understand the difference, but when I have to use the *bound to* construction, I simply cannot come up with a good sentence. 

I guess there are many other ways to express what *bound to* means, aren't they?

Argentina84


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## Cagey

argentina84 said:


> Hahaha I understand the difference, but when I have to use the *bound to* construction, I simply cannot come up with a good sentence.
> 
> I guess there are many other ways to express what *bound to* means, aren't they?
> 
> Argentina84



Don't worry Argentina.  Now that you understand what it means, you are _bound to_ come up with a good sentence sooner or later.


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## Prairiefire

tinlizzy said:


> Argentina-
> 
> "Bound to" is the future.  The greater the time frame the more inevitable/certain the statement becomes.
> I'm bound to make a mistake (today).
> I'm bound to make a mistake (this year).
> I'm bound to make a mistake (in my lifetime).
> ...
> Yes?



I hope people are not getting irritated with me making at least one more comment in this thread. I've mentioned it to several people at work and last night at a party, and everyone seems to have interesting ideas that I had not thought of myself.

When I first read Tinlizzy's post, I didn't quite understand her point, but a friend brought up the same point last night.

He was explaining that to him, 'prone to' referred to something within yourself, a characteristic of the person. 'Bound to,' he thought, refers to something imposed on you or something related to your circumstances. 

He went on to say, "I have a brother-in-law who is a very skillful mountain climber. He is not at all prone to accidents. However, if he keeps climbing as many difficult peaks each year, he is bound to hurt himself sooner or later."


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## argentina84

Prairiefire said:


> He was explaining that to him, 'prone to' referred to something within yourself, a characteristic of the person. 'Bound to,' he thought, refers to something imposed on you or something related to your circumstances.


 
Great explanation! Thanks a lot! And thanks to your friend, too!


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## Forero

I agree with tinlizzy.  Both are present tense but look at things from a different perspective -

"bound to": likely now or in the future, the past is not mentioned
"prone to": likely now because of history, may change in the future


tinlizzy said:


> I would add this: "bound to" _indicates _certainty based on a future criteria (looking to the future) and "prone to" _indicates_ likelihood based on past criteria (looking at the past).
> 
> I am bound to catch a cold. I expect to catch a cold sooner or later.
> 
> I am prone to catching colds. I have a history of catching colds.


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## Harry Batt

"prone to" is a disease. Diarrhea of the mouth.  All of my friends graduated from law school and within a month everyone came down with it. It is incurable.


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## Moon Palace

Prairiefire said:


> He was explaining that to him, 'prone to' referred to something within yourself, a characteristic of the person. 'Bound to,' he thought, refers to something imposed on you or something related to your circumstances.



This is what I had meant in my two examples: 
'teachers are bound to understand your mistakes' = this is part of their professional duty, if you make a mistake they will obviously understand it owing to a habit of deciphering them. 
'teachers are prone to correct all mistakes they see' = because of their job, it has become part of their 'self' to correct mistakes, as if they could not prevent from doing so. 

Yet I wouldn't go so far as to say 'bound to' is for the future and not 'prone to' since both are about some upcoming action, what explains the behaviour is indeed inherent to the person or to something about the person, but some 'external factors'. 

Sorry if my examples didn't originally allow the distinction, yet it was in my mind. Thanks to all for this precious food for thought.  (and personally, I don't think many posts are irritating as they help to take the reflection further )


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