What's wrong with this sentence fragment? 2

[MeGustaXL]

Given that "eluding" means "Escaping from", what kind of grammatical error is committed in:

I was escaping from to...?

See thread1256-1281592, where eluding is used in place of "alluding".

Chris

Beer is God's way of telling us He loves us and wants us to be happy - Benjamin Franklin

 

[Gooser]

I'd just like to state, for the record, that my misuse of the word 'eluding' in place of the word 'alluding' is--as I said earlier--a malapropism.

--Gooser

 

[SantaMufasa]

Frankly, a malapropism is when a Gooser gets involved in a thread that involves proposition stranding.<grin>

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I can provide you with low-cost, remote Database Administration services: see our website and contact me via www.dasages.com]

 

[SilentAiche]

Of course, [blue]mall[/blue]apropisms, on average, mean you should shop for a new word. Don't get [purple]down[/purple] on yourself, Gooser.

We all know "e-luding" is the use of Qualudes over the internet. So many folks seeking a place to escape from to...

Er, nevermind...

[blue]_____________________________________________
"As a former farmer, I measure my produce in onces."[/blue]

 

[Ladyazh]

My apology for budging into this intelligent converstaion but haven't you meant "Don't get dawn on yourself, Gooser"?
The reson I said thet is:
I had heard that in some cultures people when feeling upset or guilty tend to get sticky stuff and dawn on themselves so everyone know they are sorry.

 

[KornGeek]

Should I sell the situation I was escaping from to the newspapers?

That's still grammatically incorrect. How about:

Should I sell the situation from which I was escaping to the newspapers?

or better yet:

Should I sell to the newspapers the situation from which I was escaping?

 

[kjv1611]

KornGeek,

Where is the grammar error in snuv's statement?

It may not be stylistically typical, but errant in grammer? Me thinks not!

But, since I'm posting this..

How about:
<suttle sarcastic stupidity>
Should I sell the situation newspaper that was escaping?

Argh, ye little newspaper - ye won't get away this time! Argh! I'll sell ye off, first!
</suttle sarcastic stupidity>

[LOL]

 

[KornGeek]

kjv1611,

The grammar error is essentially the same as ending a sentence with a preposition. You start a prepositional phrase with the word "from", but never complete it. I don't recall the correct terminology for this, but it is a very common error.

 

[CajunCenturion]

I have to disagree with that.

==&gt; The grammar error is essentially the same as ending a sentence with a preposition.
Ending a sentence with a preposition is NOT a grammatical error. Using a prepoosition without an object is an error, and that error is called 'preposition stranding'.

The reason most people think that ending a sentence with a preposition is a grammatical error is that most of the time, prepositions that come at the end of a sentnence don't have an object. It's the not having an object that's the error, not the position of the preposition.

In the sentence, &quot;Should I sell the situation I was escaping from to the newspapers?&quot;, there is no preposition stranding error that I can see. The object of the preposition 'from' is 'the situation'. It's not required that a prepositional object come after the preposition; the only requirement is that every preposition has an object.

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[KornGeek]

CajunCenturion,

With all due respect, we'll have to agree to disagree. I was taught that positioning the object before the preposition is an error and "the situation I was escaping from" should be reworded as "the situation from which I was escaping".

Every English course I have taken (that dealt with grammar) agreed upon this rule, however, due to my experience with your posts (that they are consistently intelligent and accurate), I'm willing to accept that there may be alternatives to what I was taught.

 

[kjv1611]

Ahhh, the English language. And we think Chinese and Russian are difficult!

And, KornGeek, I believe that what you were taught was more of a proper style than handbook/textbook grammar. Many teachers to teach in that manner. If they prefer one style over another, that is what they will teach.

I am fairly certain most people would not think the sentence of question would be the best choice, stylistically. {Hey, that sounds like a big word, wow.}

But, oftentimes it is an error, leaving a "dangling participle", because the object is not made present. And, besides, 99% of the time in the English languag, the preposition will come before the object of the preposition, thus forming the prepositional phrase.

Well, gotta go now, but I'm sure we can come up with some examples either way.

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> But, oftentimes it is an error, leaving a "dangling participle", because the object is not made present.

What do dangling participles have to do with objects?

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Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[kjv1611]

Well, it's kind of along the same lines, as far as the error of a dangling preposition. I know it is not the same, but just wanted to use the word for sort of an example...

So, sorry, I should have clarified.

It was really the idea of the dangling part I was putting accross, but I just left it as the dangling participle. Of course a participle and a preposition are not the same, not even a part of a ciple isn't the same as a preposition!
[Warning! extremely corny]