The container metaphor has provided a basis for conceptualising the sovereignty of the state as entities that retain physical integrity distinct from other states. The container is perhaps best conceived as a bounded space rather than as a three-dimensional entity, and the most obvious linguistic items that encode a conceptualisation of a CONTAINER are the prepositions in, inside and into. Chilton (2004: 118, in Charteris-Black, 2006: 24) argues convincingly for the importance and pervasiveness of spatial metaphors in relation to political discourse. He argues for a container metaphorization in which ‘what is inside is close to the self…’. He also refers to ‘a spatial containment schema which grounds conceptualisations of one’s country as a closed container that can be sealed or penetrated’ (Chilton, 2004: 118, in Charteris-Black, 2006: 24). Semino writes: „Groups, institutions, and particularly nation states, are conventionally constructed as containers, so that belonging (to a group, institution, nation, etc.) corresponds to being ‘inside’ and not belonging to being ‘outside’.“ Metaphor COUNTRY IS A CONTAINER further reflects the notion of a security, that is closely related to control.