Did prescriptivists make up pied-piping in relative infinitive constructions?
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty{ margin-bottom:0;
}
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
A quick Internet search suggests that pied-piping in relative clauses was a natural feature of English even though it is loved by prescriptivists; it existed in older stages of the language, and it was declining by the 17th century, but it was preferred by some prescriptivists and survived into the modern times.
What is the history of pied-piping in relative infinitive constructions as in the phrase a room in which to read books? Was it actually more common (or obligatory) in the past as in relative clauses, or did prescriptivists make it up, thinking that the grammar of English should be like that of Latin?
prepositions infinitives relative-pronouns pied-piping
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
A quick Internet search suggests that pied-piping in relative clauses was a natural feature of English even though it is loved by prescriptivists; it existed in older stages of the language, and it was declining by the 17th century, but it was preferred by some prescriptivists and survived into the modern times.
What is the history of pied-piping in relative infinitive constructions as in the phrase a room in which to read books? Was it actually more common (or obligatory) in the past as in relative clauses, or did prescriptivists make it up, thinking that the grammar of English should be like that of Latin?
prepositions infinitives relative-pronouns pied-piping
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
2
I think this question would be easier to understand if you gave an example of a sentence using this construction. Are you talking about stuff like "a room in which to read books" or "a box in which to store the papers"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
1
Would the sentence from your previous question qualify as an example: "I have no pen with which to write letters"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
@sumelic Regarding what I meant by relative infinitive constructions: to your first question: both sentences qualify as example, and to your second question, yes.
– Pteromys
2 days ago
So far as I can see, pied-piped infinitives only arise in the context of other languages (particularly, German, Dutch, Latin). Can you give an example of what you're asking about in English, in the question text itself?
– FumbleFingers
2 days ago
2
The question needs to be expanded to give more detail about what's being asked, along with some examples. Everything needed to understand the question should be provided in the question itself.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
A quick Internet search suggests that pied-piping in relative clauses was a natural feature of English even though it is loved by prescriptivists; it existed in older stages of the language, and it was declining by the 17th century, but it was preferred by some prescriptivists and survived into the modern times.
What is the history of pied-piping in relative infinitive constructions as in the phrase a room in which to read books? Was it actually more common (or obligatory) in the past as in relative clauses, or did prescriptivists make it up, thinking that the grammar of English should be like that of Latin?
prepositions infinitives relative-pronouns pied-piping
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
A quick Internet search suggests that pied-piping in relative clauses was a natural feature of English even though it is loved by prescriptivists; it existed in older stages of the language, and it was declining by the 17th century, but it was preferred by some prescriptivists and survived into the modern times.
What is the history of pied-piping in relative infinitive constructions as in the phrase a room in which to read books? Was it actually more common (or obligatory) in the past as in relative clauses, or did prescriptivists make it up, thinking that the grammar of English should be like that of Latin?
prepositions infinitives relative-pronouns pied-piping
prepositions infinitives relative-pronouns pied-piping
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
edited yesterday
sumelic
44.5k7105207
44.5k7105207
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
asked 2 days ago
Pteromys
1786
1786
2
I think this question would be easier to understand if you gave an example of a sentence using this construction. Are you talking about stuff like "a room in which to read books" or "a box in which to store the papers"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
1
Would the sentence from your previous question qualify as an example: "I have no pen with which to write letters"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
@sumelic Regarding what I meant by relative infinitive constructions: to your first question: both sentences qualify as example, and to your second question, yes.
– Pteromys
2 days ago
So far as I can see, pied-piped infinitives only arise in the context of other languages (particularly, German, Dutch, Latin). Can you give an example of what you're asking about in English, in the question text itself?
– FumbleFingers
2 days ago
2
The question needs to be expanded to give more detail about what's being asked, along with some examples. Everything needed to understand the question should be provided in the question itself.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
|
show 1 more comment
2
I think this question would be easier to understand if you gave an example of a sentence using this construction. Are you talking about stuff like "a room in which to read books" or "a box in which to store the papers"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
1
Would the sentence from your previous question qualify as an example: "I have no pen with which to write letters"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
@sumelic Regarding what I meant by relative infinitive constructions: to your first question: both sentences qualify as example, and to your second question, yes.
– Pteromys
2 days ago
So far as I can see, pied-piped infinitives only arise in the context of other languages (particularly, German, Dutch, Latin). Can you give an example of what you're asking about in English, in the question text itself?
– FumbleFingers
2 days ago
2
The question needs to be expanded to give more detail about what's being asked, along with some examples. Everything needed to understand the question should be provided in the question itself.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
2
2
I think this question would be easier to understand if you gave an example of a sentence using this construction. Are you talking about stuff like "a room in which to read books" or "a box in which to store the papers"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
I think this question would be easier to understand if you gave an example of a sentence using this construction. Are you talking about stuff like "a room in which to read books" or "a box in which to store the papers"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
1
1
Would the sentence from your previous question qualify as an example: "I have no pen with which to write letters"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
Would the sentence from your previous question qualify as an example: "I have no pen with which to write letters"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
@sumelic Regarding what I meant by relative infinitive constructions: to your first question: both sentences qualify as example, and to your second question, yes.
– Pteromys
2 days ago
@sumelic Regarding what I meant by relative infinitive constructions: to your first question: both sentences qualify as example, and to your second question, yes.
– Pteromys
2 days ago
So far as I can see, pied-piped infinitives only arise in the context of other languages (particularly, German, Dutch, Latin). Can you give an example of what you're asking about in English, in the question text itself?
– FumbleFingers
2 days ago
So far as I can see, pied-piped infinitives only arise in the context of other languages (particularly, German, Dutch, Latin). Can you give an example of what you're asking about in English, in the question text itself?
– FumbleFingers
2 days ago
2
2
The question needs to be expanded to give more detail about what's being asked, along with some examples. Everything needed to understand the question should be provided in the question itself.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
The question needs to be expanded to give more detail about what's being asked, along with some examples. Everything needed to understand the question should be provided in the question itself.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
|
show 1 more comment
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f474204%2fdid-prescriptivists-make-up-pied-piping-in-relative-infinitive-constructions%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
2
I think this question would be easier to understand if you gave an example of a sentence using this construction. Are you talking about stuff like "a room in which to read books" or "a box in which to store the papers"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
1
Would the sentence from your previous question qualify as an example: "I have no pen with which to write letters"?
– sumelic
2 days ago
@sumelic Regarding what I meant by relative infinitive constructions: to your first question: both sentences qualify as example, and to your second question, yes.
– Pteromys
2 days ago
So far as I can see, pied-piped infinitives only arise in the context of other languages (particularly, German, Dutch, Latin). Can you give an example of what you're asking about in English, in the question text itself?
– FumbleFingers
2 days ago
2
The question needs to be expanded to give more detail about what's being asked, along with some examples. Everything needed to understand the question should be provided in the question itself.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago