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Explore the role and structure of prepositions in English sentences, with examples and insights on common prepositions and their functions.
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The prepositional phrase Introdução aos sintagmas de língua inglesa Professor Sabine Mendes Moura 1/2015
Some definitions • Thinking about the name: in languages, we can have pre-positions and post-positions. • A preposition describes a relationship between other words in a sentence (therefore, it is a functional word). • Prepositions are nearly always combined with other words in structures called prepositional phrases. • Prepositional tend to be built the same: a preposition followed by a determiner and an adjective or two, followed by a pronoun or noun (called the object of the preposition). • This whole phrase, in turn, takes on a modifying role, acting as an adjectiveor anadverb, locating something in time and space, modifying a noun, or telling when or where or under what conditions something happened.
Some examples (Beowulf) PART ONE: GRENDEL Grendel Attacks One night, after a beer party,the Danes settled in the hallfor sleep; they knew no sorrows.The evil creature, grim and hungry,grabbed thirty warriorsand went home laughing. At dawn, when the Danes learned of Grendel's strength, there was great weeping. The old king sat sadly, crying for his men. Bloody footprints were found. That was bad enough,but the following nightGrendel killed more--blinded by sin, he felt no remorse.
Celce Murcia and Freeman’s on prepositions (Chapter 19, p. 250)
Prepositions • Most frequent prepositions in English: • at, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, with • Lexical compounding • outdo,overdo,underestimate, overcome, etc
Focus: in, on and at Generality Specificity
Focus: in, on and at (time) General In January, in the summer, in 1978 On January 19th, 1978 At 7 o’ clock Specific
Focus: in, on and at (space) General In(side) the classroom, the mall, the supermarket, the book, in Bloomsbury On (surface) the desk, the top shelf, on page 51 or on Coram Road. At 55 Coram Road. Specific
Focus: in and at troubleshooting General What is the difference between... ... In the supermarket/at the supermarket? ... In Veiga/at Veiga? Specific
Focus: on and at troubleshooting General What is the difference between... ... On the corner/at the corner? ... On the top of the page/at the top of the page? Specific
Semantic Case Functions Filmore (1968) described the use of prepositions being caselike in nature (relationship among people and/or objects not relationship dealing with space, time, degree, or manner.)
Focus: the preposition of The preposition of is just about always in the 10 most frequent words and often in the top five most frequent words in a particular sample of authentic English. What does that suggest us?
Focus: Portuguese-English translation problems O problema dos meninos parecia estar relacionado a questões de gênero, incluindo os papéis sociais que se esperava deles e suas relações de afeto, de parceria na comunidade em que se inseriam, de poder, de reconhecimento e de prestígio. Google Translator’s version: The problem of the boys seemed to be related to gender issues, including the social roles expected of them and their affection relations, partnership in the community in which they were part, power, recognition and prestige.
Interesting characteristics (Celce Murcia and Larsen Freeman) • Deletion of prepositions: “We have lived here (for) 10 years” • Prepositions that co-occur • from/to (distance range, time range, or range of degree • from/until (time range only) • Co-occurrence with verbs and adjectives: • to relay on - to be afraid of
Other uses of preposition “at” • Functions of the prepositions “at” • The pen is lying at my feet. • She was there at 4pm • I’m never at ease when taking a test • He shot at me • She is good at poker • He retired at 65
Prepositions • By (agentive) - It was done by Claudia • By (means) - I went there by bus • For (benefactive) I bought the gift for Mary • For (proxy) - He manages the store for Mary • From (ablative, source) - Joe bought the car from Bill
Prepositions • Of (eliciting) - He asked a favor of us • Of (separation) - They robbed us of our jewerly • To (dative) - I gave the book to Josh • To (direction, goal) - We drove to Rio • With (instrument) - He broke the windown with a rock
Prepositions • With (comitative) - I went to town with Jeck • With (joining) - We presented him with a gift
Syntax (Mc Namara, 2009) You may have learned that ending a sentence with a preposition is a serious breach of grammatical etiquette. It doesn't take a grammarian to spot a sentence-ending preposition, so this is an easy rule to get caught up on (!). Although it is often easy to remedy the offending preposition, sometimes it isn't, and repair efforts sometimes result in a clumsy sentence. "Indicate the book you are quoting from" is not greatly improved with "Indicate from which book you are quoting."
Syntax (Mc Namara, 2009) Based on shaky historical precedent, the rule itself is a latecomer to the rules of writing. Those who dislike the rule are fond of recalling Churchill's rejoinder: "That is nonsense up with which I shall not put." We should also remember the child's complaint: "What did you bring that book that I don't like to be read to out of up for?"
