Part of Speech

Question

If I wanted to say "a yo boy, where my gat at? I'm bout to cap a ***" what part of speech is the 'at' at then end of "where my gat at"?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hi Anon;
Since this is not standard English syntax, there is no precise description for it in the standard grammar system. It could be a preposition (at where), or the particle in a phrasal verb (is at).

Slang has its own grammar, but I don't know that it has been formally codified.

Regards,
A-

s

BillJ · Answer

AlpheccaStarsSlang has its own grammar, but I don't know that it has been formally codified.

It most certainly has not, and let's hope it never is!

BilJ

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymouswhat part of speech is the 'at' at then end of "where my gat at"?

Slang or not, I don't see how it can be anything other than a preposition.

CJ

JandrosUSA · Answer

Yeah CJ (and anonymous) it's got to be a preposition

but this is just WRONG ain't it?

... oops, I mean isn't it?

Old Rule, the only correct answer to the question is this: Never end a sentence with a preposition.

So ... Insert a verb and drop the preposition: "Where is my gat?"

PS: Slang usually breaks one rule or another, so rules for slang cannot be defined.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

CalifJimSlang or not, I don't see how it can be anything other than a preposition.

True, the particle in a phrasal verb can be classified as a preposition, too, can't it?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

JandrosUSAOld Rule, the only correct answer to the question is this: Never end a sentence with a preposition.

What a ridiculous and inane "rule"!!!!

Sir Winston Churchill is reputed to have said something about this. And there are many versions of Churchill's quip, but this is typical:

The Wall Street Journal, 9 Dec 1948 ("Pepper and Salt") The carping critic who can criticize the inartistic angle of the firemen's hose while they are attempting to put out the fire, has his counterpart in a nameless individual in the British Foreign Office who once found fault with a projected speech by Winston Churchill. ...
Churchill prepared a highly important speech to deliver in Parliament, and, as a matter of custom, submitted an advanced draft to the Foreign Office for comment. Back came the speech with no word save a notation that one of the sentences ended with a preposition, and an indication where the error should be eliminated. To this suggestion, the Prime Minister replied with the following note: "This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put."

JandrosUSA · Answer

Isoooo much agree with you! I did not say that I like the rule, but it is indeed one of the traditional rules for prepositions.

However: An "Effective Writing" course that I took several years ago had this to say about prepositions, for the specific purpose of effective communication and easy writing:

A preposition is a word that is ok to end a sentence with!

....

...

I also like the KISS principle: Keep It Short and Simple. And does any native-English speaker ever say anything like "I need a pen with which to write"? No, absolutely not. We're always gonna say it the simpler way: "I need a pen to write with."

So in all of this pedantry of rules, first there is the "book". But after all the tests are passed, there is the preferred reality of simple and effective communicationthat Churchill referred to.

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