In Grammar, a preposition is a category of Mot-outil (more precisely, a link-word ) connecting a syntactic element given to another element of higher level, and specifying the type of bond thus created.

It has a pipe in wood.

the preposition “ in ”” thus “connects the common noun “ wood ” to the name “ pipe wood ” is the complement (indication of the matter).

• the preposition is thus a subordinating, as well as the Relative pronoun or the Subordinating conjunction. Its role is to introduce a subordinate element (étymologiquement, preposition means posed before ), and to determine the syntactic Fonction of it.

It will leave towards midday.

the common noun “ midday ”, introduced by the preposition “ towards ”, has as a function: circumstantial complement of time of the verb “ will leave ”.

the subordinate element introduced by a preposition is frequently described as prepositional syntagm. This expression should not induce in error. Indeed, a prepositional syntagm, is not a syntagm whose core is a preposition (as the name of a noun phrase is the core, for example), but a “syntagm introduced by a preposition”. Thus to dissipate all ambiguity, it will be better to speak, for example, of “ prepositional noun phrase ”, of “ prepositional adjectival syntagm ”, etc

Various kinds of prepositions

Like the Adverb, the conjunction and the Interjection, the preposition is a category of invariable words.

The simple prepositions are “ with ”, “ of ”, “ in ”, but it exists about it there well of different:

With, after, front, with, to, concerning, against, of, since, behind, as of, in front of, lasting, in, enters, towards, except, fors, except, out, until, in spite of, realizing, notwithstanding, except, in addition to, by, among, during, for, close, without, except, according to, under, following, on, towards, here, here is, etc

a mnemotechnical sentence makes it possible to remember the most current prepositions: " Adam Desur leaves for Antwerp with hundred sous" ( with, in, of, on, by, for, in, towards, with, without, under ).

When the prepositions are made of made up detached, they are called prepositional phrases :

Because of, beside, from, through, safe from, except for, with the knowledge of, with the reserve of, with less, share, from, at a rate of, through, abstraction made of, in order to, with the necks of, with-inside, beyond, below of, above, with the liking of, instead of, at the time of, near, around, before, in accordance with, according to, of fear on, the side of, apart from, in spite of, in favor of, in addition to, vis-a-vis, fault of, thanks to, out of, until, along, far from, close to, as for, except with, while, etc

It will be noted that almost all the prepositional phrase above contain all at least one of the two principal simple prepositions “ with ” or “ of ”.

Syntactic elements connected by the preposition

Subordinate syntactic element

The syntactic element subordinated, or satellite, can be made up of a Mot, or a Syntagme. This element is called mode of the preposition , or, complement of the preposition (but it is to better avoid employing this last expression, because the element introduced by a preposition, is complement , not of the preposition itself, but of the core which precedes it ):

a house of straw.

I was at him.

It will set out again as of tomorrow.

It is necessary to lie down for to rest.

is introduced by a preposition, a name (“ straw ”) in the first example, a pronoun (“ him ”) in the second, an adverb (“ tomorrow ”) in the third, an infinitive (“ to rest ”) in the last.

• a preposition can on the occasion introduce a proposal:

His/her mother prepares a trousseau to him for when she marries.

Higher syntactic element

The hierarchically higher element, or core, can be a Nom, a Pronom, a qualifying adjective, a Verbe, a Adverbe, or, a whole Phrase.

You are the parents of David .

a vase full with flowers .

to always like for .

It works for hard to nourish its family.

Constitutes the core of a prepositional syntagm, a common noun (“ parents ”) in the first example, a qualifying adjective (“ full ”) in the second, an infinitive (“ to like ”) in the third, a main clause (“ It works hard”) in the last.

• When the core seems to miss, it is generally that the prepositional syntagm depends on the sentence or the very whole proposal:

In France, one does not have oil, but there are ideas. (slogan of the Seventies)

the prepositional noun phrase “ In France ” has as a core (supplements) the remainder of the sentence (“ one does not have oil, but there are ideas ”).

• Certaines prepositions has a specific employment. For example, the preposition “ in ” in the gerund , or, the preposition “ of ” in the historic infinitive , etc Of such prepositions included in detached flexional compounds should not be analyzed.

Frequencies of use

The base of data lexicon makes it possible to have an idea of the frequency of use of the prepositions in modern literary French (literary texts published after 1950) and in standardized French (film subtitles).

Thus 9 prepositions only represent alone more than 90% of the occurrences of prepositions in French.

Moreover, more than one preposition out of 2 is one of principal prepositions “ of ” or “ with ”.

The distribution of the literary French prepositions is rather similar to that of standardized French. Let us note however that the preposition “ for ”, twice more used in the literary texts than in the filmed dialogs, is used there than “ in ”.

Semantics of the preposition

The preposition can mark many nuances:

- the row ( in front of, behind, after …) ;

- the place ( in, in, with, at, under …) ;

- time (front , after, with, since, during …) ;

- the cause ( for, considering …) ;

- the manner ( with, without, according to, of, with …) ;

- the goal ( for, with, towards …) ;

- separation ( without, except …) ;

- etc

However, following the example others function words, the role Sémantique of the preposition is not always very Net.

• the preposition specifies sometimes the function and the direction of the satellite that it introduces. But several different functions can be associated with the same preposition, and contrary, several prepositions are sometimes associated with the same function:

Which means for example: “ a dish with ears ”, and which exact role plays the preposition “ with ” in this noun phrase? If we hear this group as in “ a fish dish ” or “ a dish with asparaguses ” (i.e., dish “ for ” to serve as fish, or “ for ” to serve as asparaguses…), it will act in this case “ of a dish to serve as the ears (of the ears of pig, for example…) ”. If on the contrary we hear this syntagm, as in “ a dish with handles ” or “ a dish with lid ” (i.e., a dish “ with ” of the handles, or “ with ” a lid…), it will be then “ about a dish with handles punts in the shape of ears ”. One sees in such an example that the preposition “ with ” can introduce an idea of destination (the 1st possible interpretation) or an idea of description (the 2nd possible interpretation).

• Of other times on the contrary, the preposition specifies the function and the direction of the core on which the satellite depends:

To speak German. /To speak to about German.

the verb “ to speak ” means “ to practice a given language ” when it is transitive direct, and “ to emit an oral statement on a subject given ” when it is transitive indirect (associate with the preposition “ of ”).

the tools are on the table. /I count to on you to arrange them.

the first occurrence of the preposition “ on ” assigns an indication of place to the satellite (the noun phrase “ the table ”). The second occurrence of this same preposition affects a direction specific to the core (the verb “ to count ”).

• Signalons also that the use of the prepositions presents many regional variations:

To speak with somebody (French standard)/To speak with somebody (French-speaking Switzerland, prob. by influance of the German).

to see with midday (French standard)/to see themselves this midday (the Rhone-Alps, prob. by influence of Savoyard).

Some remarks on the use of the prepositions

• Employée without satellite, i.e., not followed by sound mode (one says: employee absolutely ), the preposition becomes Adverbe:

To be for . /To be against . /It is necessary well to make with .

the presence or the absence of the mode makes it possible to make the difference:

will find it to You behind . /Will find it to You behind the house.

“ Behind ” is an adverb in the first example, and a preposition in the second.

• Sometimes, the preposition is meaningless, it is then known as explétive, and does not have any grammatical role:

the city of Toulouse. /The month of April. /And all of to laugh.

• the prepositions “ here ” and “ here are ” constitute a particular case. Sometimes analyzed like adverbs , or, like introducers or présentatifs , these prepositions profit from a special employment because each one of them is in fact a contraction of the verb “ to see ” and adverb of place “ here ” or “ there ” (“ see here” and “ see there”). They are very employed and make it possible to make the economy of the verb:

Here my parents. Here are my village. Us here .

For: “See my parents here. See my village there. See that we are here. ”

This type of preposition approaching the verb (since those can be core of proposals), accepts the welding of the pronouns complements:

Voilà it not that he tells me…

Related subjects

• Word

• Interjection
• Natural Adverb
• Syntax
• (grammar)
• syntactic Syntagm
• Function
• morphosyntaxic Analysis
• Representation (grammar)
• Stating
• List of the concepts used in linguistics

Close words

• proposal
• Appointed

External bonds

• Lexicon - a free lexical database (GNU).

Simple: Preposition

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