preposition

Home > ... > Literature and the Arts > Language, Linguistics, and Literary Terms > Language and Linguistics > ...

preposition

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

preposition in English, the part of speech embracing a small number of words used before nouns and pronouns to connect them to the preceding material, e.g., of, in, and about. Prepositions are a class that is typical of the structure of Indo-European languages, but similar classes are found in some other languages.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-preposit" title="Facts and information about preposition">preposition</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"preposition." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"preposition." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 30, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-preposit.html

"preposition." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-preposit.html

Learn more about citation styles

preposition

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | © The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

preposition XIV. — L. præpositiō, -ōn- putting before, preposition, f. præpōnere; see PRE- POSITION.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O27-preposition" title="Facts and information about preposition">preposition</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

T. F. HOAD. "preposition." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "preposition." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (November 30, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-preposition.html

T. F. HOAD. "preposition." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved November 30, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-preposition.html

Learn more about citation styles

preposition

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

preposition Linguistic category or part of speech that shows the relationship (such as position or direction) between its complement and some other word in the sentence. In the English phrase, “The book on the table”, the word on specifies the relationship between the word book and the prepositional complement table.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-preposition" title="Facts and information about preposition">preposition</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"preposition." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"preposition." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (November 30, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-preposition.html

"preposition." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved November 30, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-preposition.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

Free Article Prepositions. (Three poems).(Poem)
Magazine article from: New Criterion; 1/1/2002
Free Article Praise prepositions.(Poem)
Magazine article from: The Christian Century; 11/16/2004
Free Article Spatial concepts in Slavic; a cognitive linguistic study of prepositions and cases.(Slavistische Studienbuecher, neue Folge, vol. 19 )(Brief article)(Book review)
Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 8/1/2009

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

Towards a more analytic expression of grammatical relationships: the use of prepositions and adverbs in early English correspondence.(Critical Essay)
Magazine article from: Studia Anglica Posnaniensia: international review of English Studies; 8/6/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...following example, such uses of prepositions closely resemble those found...in London. (61: 85) Prepositions often occur in collocations...for some variation of the preposition, e.g., 2) Daultons...parte. (RCII 121: 564) Prepositions may also be necessary elements...
Prepositions and Pictures in the English Learning Materials
Magazine article from: K@ta; 12/1/2005; ; 700+ words ; ...This paper explores the types of prepositions and the common picture types used to teach these prepositions found in English textbooks commonly...affect the understanding and use of prepositions. Ideally all accompanying pictures...
The prepositions of bioethics.(perspective)
Magazine article from: The Hastings Center Report; 5/1/2008; ; 700+ words ; Prepositions are small words...of the misused preposition, like the day...simply hides the preposition. A "Bioethics...the choice of preposition tells much about...Reflecting on the prepositions of bioethics...
On the multifunctionality of compound prepositions in Indonesian.
Magazine article from: Oceanic Linguistics; 12/1/2006; ; 700+ words ; ...they can with simple prepositions. This paper examines...function of compound prepositions in Indonesian. (2) Indonesian compound prepositions are formed by adding...Noun ) to a simple preposition. For example, the...
When I say 'preposition,' what do you think of?
Magazine article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics; 9/22/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...apology, such as "Forgive the preposition," as if he had committed...occasionally end a sentence with a preposition, notwithstanding his professed...knowledge that sentence-ending prepositions can, at times, be cool...never end a sentence with a preposition. To say that it is often...
When I say "preposition," what do you think of?
Magazine article from: et Cetera; 10/1/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...apology, such as "Forgive the preposition," as if he had committed...occasionally end a sentence with a preposition, notwithstanding his professed...knowledge that sentence-ending prepositions can, at times, be cool...never end a sentence with a preposition. To say that it is often...
Procrustean bed. (use of prepositions and prepositional clauses)
Magazine article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics; 12/22/1997; ; 700+ words ; ...identified as also being on the preposition list, are actually verb...phrase is composed of a "preposition and a noun phrase" (out...so they would not end in "prepositions," the meanings were altered...ends with what looks like a preposition is actually ending with a...
THE ROLE OF CUED SPEECH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPANISH PREPOSITIONS
Magazine article from: American Annals of the Deaf; 10/1/2003; ; 700+ words ; ...especially the acquisition and use of prepositions in Spanish, a lexical category with...deafness can achieve in the command of prepositions, depending on the system of communication...degrees, to the acquisition of Spanish prepositions, with the best results being obtained...
I SEEM TO BE A PREPOSITION
Magazine article from: Academe; 9/1/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...provost is like a preposition. This simile makes...you think about what prepositions do - link words...Thinking of provosts as prepositions also reinforces what...not revolve around prepositions, of course, and...I think being a preposition will be interesting...
...Such bitter business--this 'rule' on prepositions
Magazine article from: Journalism & Mass Communication Educator; 1/1/1999; ; 700+ words ; ...sentences ending in prepositions that are abominable...and forcefully with prepositions, and most of the...this sentence with a preposition." Do teachers of...meaning of the word 'preposition' itself: stand before...the Latin language, prepositions do usually stand before...

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

For students and teachers!

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Popular on Newser: