Parody of English Language

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I vaguely recall seeing here a post containing a parody of English phrasal verbs construction you know, the abundance of prepositions worsened by having them scattered all over the place. It's supposed to be an exchange between a father and his son around bedtime. The father says something to which the son replies "...with which I will put up", or something. Anyone?

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Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I vaguely recall seeing here a post containing a parody of English phrasal verbs construction you know, the abundance of prepositions ... around bedtime. The father says something to which the son replies "...with which I will put up", or something. Anyone?[/nq]
Are you thinking of Churchill's marginal comment, "This is the sort of English up with which I will not put"? Or the child wondering "What did you lock that book that we were being read to out of up for?"

Alan Crozier
Lund
Sweden

Usenet · Answer

Yes, the second one with the kind and the book. Is that the whole story?

Thanks

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Are you thinking of Churchill's marginal comment, "This is the sort of English up with which I will not put"? Or the child wondering "What did you lock that book that we were being read to out of up for?"[/nq]
The two I'd come across are:
"What did you bring that book I didn't want to be read to out of up for?"

"What did you bring that book I didn't want to be read to about down under from up for?"
And a search on Google reveals:
"What did you bring that book that I don't want to be read to from out of about 'Down Under' up for?"
(Does anyone have any idea what it means to read "from out of" a book, FTM?

"What did you say that the sentence with the most prepositions at the end was 'What did you bring that book that I don't want to be read to from out of about "Down Under" up for?' for? The preceding sentence has one more." (sic)
They have 3, 7, 6 and 7 prepositions at the end respectively.

Here's another idea: how deeply is it possible to, in order to further take the English language to its limits, nest split infinitives within each other?
Stewart.

My e-mail is valid but not my primary mailbox. Please keep replies on the 'group where everyone may benefit.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1] And a search on Google reveals: "What did you bring that book that I don't want to be read ... possible to, in order to further take the English language to its limits, nest split infinitives within each other? Stewart.[/nq]
I'll work on the split infins. But for the "book from out of" one, Google the phrase again under aue: I feel the thread went quite a bit further than the example you found, but I may be wrong.

Mike.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'll work on the split infins. But for the "book from out of" one, Google the phrase again under aue: I feel the thread went quite a bit further than the example you found, but I may be wrong.[/nq]
"book from out of" returns no results. But "from out of" gives a count of 244.
Mostly things like
"The creature came from out of the lake."
which of course indicates that the creature was in out of the lake before he/she/it emerged. You could interpret it as "from the state of being out of the lake", i.e. the creature entered the lake.

Stewart.

My e-mail is valid but not my primary mailbox. Please keep replies on the 'group where everyone may benefit.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1][/nq]
[nq:2]Are you thinking of Churchill's marginal comment, "This is the ... that we were being read to out of up for?"[/nq]
[nq:1]The two I'd come across are: "What did you bring that book I didn't want to be read to out ... 'Down Under' up for?" (Does anyone have any idea what it means to read "from out of" a book, FTM?[/nq]
For the ?
Anyway, "He read her the story from out of the book" is perhaps not particularly educated, but entirely comprehensible - the book contains a story, he read her that story.
[nq:1]"What did you say that the sentence with the most prepositions at the end was 'What did you bring that ... for? The preceding sentence has one more." (sic) They have 3, 7, 6 and 7 prepositions at the end respectively.[/nq]
I am unhappy with the use/mention confusion in this last examples. If we are allowing mentioned prepositions to count, it is easy for me to posit the existence of a book titled 'Up for Up for Up for Up for' (who says book titles have to make sense?), then claim that "I borrowed his copy of 'Up for up for up for up for'." is a sentence ending in eight prepositions.

Larry Lard
Replies to group please

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2] The two I'd come across are: "What did you ... it means to read "from out of" a book, FTM?[/nq]
[nq:1]For the ?[/nq]
For that matter.

I am careful and logical and I look things up I don't understand! When I hear people use the wrong words I get edgy! I am good with cheese. I read books fast. I /think/! And I always have a piece of string. That's the kind of person I am! (Pratchett, Wee Free Men)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1][/nq]
[nq:2]I'll work on the split infins. But for the "book ... than the example you found, but I may be wrong.[/nq]
[nq:1]"book from out of" returns no results. But "from out of" gives a count of 244. Mostly things like "The creature came from out of the lake."[/nq]
Maybe try:
But I feel sure we've quite recently got it longer than that, because I was one of the intermediate perpetrators. Trouble is, there are numerous variants in AUE alone. "'...read to out of about down under up for' for ...?"
Mike.

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