Preposition: Difference between revisions
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A {{tag|preposition}} is a word, like [[with]] or [[to]] or [[of]], with which one should not end of a sentence — ''if you’re speaking {{tag|Latin}}''. Since (if you’re smart) you’re not, you may put your preposition wherever you damn well please. | A {{tag|preposition}} is a word, like [[with]] or [[to]] or [[of]], with which one should not end of a sentence — ''if you’re speaking {{tag|Latin}}''. Since (if you’re smart) you’re not, you may put your preposition wherever you damn well please. Like the pendant’s aversion to [[split infinitive]]s, this is a bogus grammatical rule to boldly be dismissive of. | ||
Prepositions do the important but prosaic job of putting {{tag|noun}}s and {{tag|pronoun}}s in relation to each other - “the cat sat '''[[on]]''' the mat” - so you have your work cut out if you want to put one at the end a sentence. But by all means try. | |||
Whether or not they end sentences with them, lawyers can still have plenty of fun with prepositions. The easiest upgrade is to substitute normal [[preposition]]s with cumbersome [[compound preposition]]s cobbled out of {{tag|noun}}s, {{tag|conjunction}}s. | |||
{{plain|the vendor’s rights under the contract|the vendor’s rights pursuant to the contract}} | |||
Revision as of 21:27, 19 September 2016
A preposition is a word, like with or to or of, with which one should not end of a sentence — if you’re speaking Latin. Since (if you’re smart) you’re not, you may put your preposition wherever you damn well please. Like the pendant’s aversion to split infinitives, this is a bogus grammatical rule to boldly be dismissive of.
Prepositions do the important but prosaic job of putting nouns and pronouns in relation to each other - “the cat sat on the mat” - so you have your work cut out if you want to put one at the end a sentence. But by all means try.
Whether or not they end sentences with them, lawyers can still have plenty of fun with prepositions. The easiest upgrade is to substitute normal prepositions with cumbersome compound prepositions cobbled out of nouns, conjunctions.
Why say “the vendor’s rights under the contract” when you mean “the vendor’s rights pursuant to the contract”?