Dear experts,

Thank you for the previous clarification.

Would you assign slightly different meanings to combinations:

be awkward at something
be awkward in something

Dictionary.com, at

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=awkward

has this usage note for "awkward":

"Awkward has a special reference to outward deportment. A man is clumsy in his whole person, he is awkward in his gait and the movement of his limbs. " (bold added)

Here are a few citations from Google:

"” The term "flapper" first appeared in Great Britain after World War I. It was there used to describe young girls, still somewhat awkward in movement who had not yet entered womanhood.

"” I mean, I like to think of myself as the Falstaff of awkwardness: not only awkward in myself, but the cause of awkwardness in others.

"” Petit Basset Griffons are the shortest of the French wire-coated hounds. They are said to be a descendent [sic] of the Basset Hound, but unlike the Basset Hound, this breed was developed to hunt on its own, and is less awkward in appearance.

These "awkward in" examples have one thing in common: they describe general personal characteristics.

I had expected "awkward at" to be used with gerunds representing specific kinds of actions. Surprisingly, "awkward at" is not common with a gerund. Here are some of the very few examples:

"” When Sam, the oldest, proves impossibly awkward at showing his interest for the girl next door, the brothers (and dad) move into action to coax him along

"” Both parents and older teens will feel for the main character who has been dumped and is trying to date other people but is awkward at doing so.

"” Is it just me, or do most of us seem to be remarkably inept and awkward at doing something that is crucially important, something we spend so much time doing?

"” But the fact that they were hurting as much as she was meant that she felt awkward at telling them just how she felt; she didn't want to add to their pain. (2 examples)

"” She also expressed her dislike of appearing awkward at performing this new activity in front of her peers. (1 example)

"” Overwhelmed by the city and awkward at speaking with strangers, she retreated emotionally and rarely speaks more than a few words at a time. (2 examples)

Marilyn

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