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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread #208510 - 12/27/12 05:58 PM Prepositions   Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,120 LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,120 Land of the Flat Water If it's a sin to end a sentence with one preposition, then presumably it's even worse to end it with two. How far can we take this? For the August 1968 issue of Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics, Darryl Francis devised one sentence that ends with nine prepositions. If the Yardbirds' 1966 single "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" were exported to Australia and then retrieved by a traveler, the question might be asked: "What did he bring 'Over, Under, Sideways, Down' up from Down Under for?" Inspired, Ralph Beaman pointed out that if this issue of the journal were now brought to a boy who slept on the upper floor of a lighthouse, he might ask: "What did you bring me the magazine I didn't want to be read to out of about '"Over Under, Sideways, Down" up from Down Under' up around for?" "This has a total of fifteen terminal prepositions," writes Ross Eckler, "but the end is not in sight; for now the little boy can complain in similar vein about the reading material provided in this issue of Word Ways, adding a second 'to out of about' at the beginning and 'up around for' at the end of the preposition string. The mind boggles at the infinite regress which has now been established." -Greg Ross, Language 26 December 2012 ----please, draw me a sheep---- #208514 - 12/27/12 09:25 PM Re: Prepositions [Re: LukeJavan8]   Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh If it's a sin to end a sentence with one preposition No, it's not. This "rule" was made up out of whole cloth by one fellow: John Dryden. Even Bishop Lowth made fun of it in his mostly prescriptive grammar. It is just plain wrong, and the folks who propagate it ought to have their necks wringed. Ceci n'est pas un seing. #208515 - 12/28/12 12:20 AM Re: Prepositions [Re: LukeJavan8]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8 "What did he bring 'Over, Under, Sideways, Down' up from Down Under for?" Five yard penalty. "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" is a title so the status of the constituent members of the title as prepositions is deemed inadmissible. The same goes for the phrase "Down Under", which is acting as a noun phrase. Any examples involving these are ruled out of bounds for the desired effect. #208516 - 12/28/12 04:11 AM Re: Prepositions [Re: Faldage]   Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,538 tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,538 this too shall pass just so. -The Commissioner #208520 - 12/28/12 08:07 AM Re: Prepositions [Re: tsuwm]   Joined: May 2010 Posts: 959 Tromboniator old hand Tromboniator   old hand Joined: May 2010 Posts: 959 Alaska The whole point of this exercise is to answer absurdity with absurdity. Why take all the fun out of it with rules and logic? #208523 - 12/28/12 01:59 PM Re: Prepositions [Re: Tromboniator]   Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh The whole point of this exercise is to answer absurdity with absurdity. Why take all the fun out of it with rules and logic? 'Cause that's how I exist. Ceci n'est pas un seing. #208639 - 01/02/13 01:40 AM Re: Prepositions [Re: Faldage]   Joined: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,038 A C Bowden old hand A C Bowden   old hand Joined: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,038 London, UK Quote: "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" "Sideways" is an adverb, not a preposition. #208642 - 01/02/13 02:17 AM Re: Prepositions [Re: LukeJavan8]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Good point. 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