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Prepositions at the end of a sentence (was: 'directions below' or 'below directions'?)
Subject:Prepositions at the end of a sentence (was: 'directions below' or 'below directions'?) From:Michael Christie <Michael_C2 -at- VERIFONE -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 21 Jul 1998 11:10:54 -0700
Right. The rule was a result of the imposition of the rules on Latin grammar
onto English early on in the history of the language. It makes sense in
Latin, where word order is dictated not by grammar but by your emphasis.
Hence, words that are central to your message go at the beginning and end of
the sentence, while things like prepositions are relegated to the middle. It
doesn't always make sense to follow the rule in English.
Winston Churchill is said to have had the following observation on the
topic:
"This is the kind of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."
(LaVonna, are you still hanging out on this list?)
Mike Christie
Senior Information Developer
VeriFone, Inc.
MikeC -at- verifone -dot- com
408 919-5729
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scott Miller [SMTP:smiller -at- CORP -dot- PORTAL -dot- COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 1998 10:46 AM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: 'directions below' or 'below directions'?
>
> You can't throw out the rule against ending a sentence with a
> preposition because there is no such rule. At least, I've never been
> able to find one in any of the Big Honkin' Grammar Books. The closest I
> got was in "Words Into Type" which cautioned against the construction of
> awkward sentences brought about by the needless attempt to not end
> sentences in prepositions.
>
> - Scott Miller
> smiller -at- portal -dot- com
>
> -------------------------------------
> > The rule against ending a sentence with a preposition is one
> > that should be thrown out.
> >
> >
>
> ~
>
