VI.—SYNTAX OF THE
PREPOSITION.
RULE XLIII.—All prepositions in the
English language govern nouns and pronouns in the objective case.
The prepositions save
and except
are really verbs in the
imperative mood.
RULE XLIV.—Prepositions generally stand
before
the words they govern; but they may, with good effect, come after
them. Thus we find in Shakespeare—
“Ten thousand men that fishes gnawed
upon.”
“Why, then, thou knowest what colour jet
is of.”
And, in Hooker, with very forcible
effect—
“Shall there be a God to swear by,
and none to pray to?”
RULE XLV.—Certain verbs, nouns, and
adjectives require special
prepositions. Thus we cannot say, “This is different to that,” because it is bad English to say
“This differs to
that.” The proper preposition in both instances is from.
<page 84>
The following is a list of
some of these
|
Special prepositions:— |
| Absolve
from. |
Dependent
on
(but independent
of). |
| Abhorrence
for. |
Derogatory
to. |
| Accord
with. |
Differ
from
(a statement or opinion). |
| Acquit
of. |
Differ
with
(a person). |
| Affinity
between. |
Different
from. |
| Adapted
to
(intentionally). |
Disappointed
of
(what we cannot
get). |
| Adapted
for
(by nature). |
Disappointed
in
(what we have
got). |
| Agree
with
(a person). |
Dissent
from. |
| Agree
to
(a proposal). |
Exception
from
(a rule). |
| Bestow
upon. |
Exception
to
(a statement). |
| Change
for
(a thing). |
Glad
of
(a possession). |
| Change
with
(a person). |
Glad
at
(a piece of news). |
| Confer
on
(= give to). |
Involve
in. |
| Confer
with
(= talk with). |
Martyr
for
(a cause). |
| Confide
in
(= trust in). |
Martyr
to
(a disease). |
| Confide
to
(= intrust to). |
Need
of
or for. |
| Conform
to. |
Part
from
(a person). |
| In conformity
with. |
Part
with
(a thing). |
| Comply
with. |
Profit
by. |
| Convenient
to
(a person). |
Reconcile
to
(a person). |
| Convenient
for
(a purpose). |
Reconcile
with
(a statement). |
| Conversant
with. |
Taste
of
(food). |
| Correspond
with
(a person). |
A taste
for
(art). |
| Correspond
to
(a thing). |
Thirst
for
or after
(knowledge). |
