john9blue wrote:It's "Proper English" if 99.9% of English speakers understand it. I see nothing wrong with ending a sentence with propositions. Some people I know (my dad in particular) end sentences with conjunctions when they speak. They'll end a sentence with "and", "or", "so", etc., and just trail off. It's annoying as hell because I have to wait to see whether they have anything else to say. People need to stop doing that shit.
No this populist idea that it's proper if people understand is bottom line wrong.
Just because your dad does it does not make it ok.
As per the preposition "rule", I'm a pretty big prescriptivist and would agree with the idea that no, you shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition.
The reason being that English is heavily dependent on word order to carry meaning. A preposition, by definition, qualifies an idea, but comes "pre" "position" of what it's qualifying. That said, it's one of those "rules" that you use as a guideline. Like, "i" before "e" except after "c." 90 percent of the time that works, but there are exceptions. The same thing with the preposition.
These "rules" that we have in English, and any language really, are there to use as tools to enhance and create greater accuracy in our speech and writing. To ensure that our message is carried over. If you know the rule, and know when it's acceptable to break it, then yes, end a sentence with a preposition. As well, it's just considered sloppy, apathetic writing to do so.
There's been a big push in the past 30/40 years to say "damn the man" and try and poke holes in anything that's considered established or proper English. But language, like everything else is political. You'll find that people taut off on one slant or another for their own purposes.
I say again, though. Many of the "rules" can be broken. You just have to master the tools in which you're using before you can use them for more complex jobs.
Anyway, if you're interested in reading a really good article (probably one of the best I've read), check out Tense Present: the politics of the English language. April 2001 or 2002 Harpers Magazine.
