Preposition: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:51, 13 June 2004

Revision as of 01:32, 15 June 2004

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* A man hid '''behind''' the door.

The preposition and its object make up a [[prepositional phrase]], which can be used to modify noun phrases and [[verb phrase]]s in the manner of [[adjective]]s and [[adverb]]s. For example, in the sentence "He has a can ''can of lemonade''", the prepositional phrase ''of lemonade'' is used to modify the [[noun]] ''can''. In the sentence "The girl ''sat in the chair''", the prepositional phrase ''in the chair'' modifies the [[verb]] ''sat''.

Although the canonical object of a preposition is a noun phrase, there are cases in which another kind of phrase forms a prepositions object. For instance, in the sentence "Come out ''from under the bed''", the object of the preposition ''from'' is another prepositional phrase, ''under the bed''. Furthermore, according to some analyses, in the sentence "I opened the door ''before he walked in''", ''before'' is not a [[conjunction]] but rather a preposition whose object is a full sentence (''he walked in'').

In [[English usage]], traditionalists often argue that, since prepositions are usually meant to come before the words they modify, one should not end a sentence with a preposition. Following this guideline implicitly, however, can make a sentence become unnecessarily complicated. Compare "The table I’d like to sit at", with "The table at which I’d like to sit".

In some languages, such as [[Japanese language|Japanese]], prepositions come after the noun and hence are called '''postpositions'''. In some [[inflected language]]s, prepositions are not separate words; their function is instead performed by a system of inflections on nouns called '''cases''' or '''[[declension]]'''.

In someSome languages, such as [[Japanese language|Japanese]], prepositionsplace comeprepositions after the noun and hencethus are called '''postpositions'''. In some [[inflected language]]s, prepositions are not separate words; their function is instead performed by a system of inflections on nouns called '''cases''' or '''[[declension]]'''.

In [[English usage]], sentences ending with prepositions have been controversial, though less so in recent years. It is often difficult to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition without making is sound pompous or odd. For example, "What did you talk to him about" would have to become "About what did you talk to him?" and "This is something we will not put up with" would have to become "This is something up with which we will not put".

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