Prepositions

Question

Is than part of prepositions?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

It's a long answer, but this is copied from a dictionary.

Than
Usage Note: Since the 1700s, grammarians have insisted that than should be regarded as a conjunction in all its uses, so that a sentence such as Bill is taller than Tom should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Bill is taller than Tom is.

According to this view, the case of a pronoun following than is determined by whether the pronoun serves as the subject or object of the verb that is "understood." Thus, the standard rule requires Pat is taller than I (not me) on the assumption that this sentence is elliptical for Pat is taller than I am. But the rule allows The news surprised Pat more than me, because this sentence is taken as elliptical for The news surprised Pat more than it surprised me. But this analysis is somewhat contrived.

Than is quite commonly treated as a preposition when followed by an isolated noun phrase, and it often occurs with a pronoun in the objective case: John is taller than me. In such sentences using the nominative case (than I) can sound unnatural and even pretentious, and objecting to the objective case of the pronoun may sound pedantic.

In comparisons using than and as, the second element should be phrased to parallel the first, and faulty parallelism can arise especially when prepositional phrases are involved. In the sentence They felt that the condition of the new buildings was not much better than the old ones, the condition of the new buildings is compared with the old buildings themselves, not with their condition. The pronoun that must be added to balance the noun condition. The noun can be repeated instead, but in either case the prepositional phrase with of must follow: They felt that the condition of the new buildings was not much better than that (or than the condition) of the old ones. Similar parallelism should follow as: I want the photos in our brochure to look as impressive as those in their brochure (not I want the photos in our brochure to look as impressive as their brochure). ·

Than and as comparisons pose additional problems when the noun following than or as is the subject or object of an implied clause. Does the sentence The employees are more suspicious of the arbitrator than the owner mean that the employees distrust the arbitrator more than they distrust the owner or that the employees distrust the arbitrator more than the owner does? To clarify this, a verb must be added to the second element of the comparison: The employees are more suspicious of the arbitrator than they are of the owner or The employees are more suspicious of the arbitrator than the owner is.

KhoshtipMan · Answer

AlpheccaStarsIt's a long answer, but this is copied from a dictionary.Than Usage Note: Since the 1700s, grammarians have insisted that than should be regarded as a conjunction in all its uses, so that a sentence such as Bill is taller than Tom should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Bill is taller than Tom is.According to this view, the case of a pronoun following than is determined by whether the pronoun serves as the subject or object of the verb that is "understood." Thus, the standard rule requires Pat is taller than I (not me) on the assumption that this sentence is elliptical for Pat is taller than I am. But the rule allows The news surprised Pat more than me, because this sentence is taken as elliptical for The news surprised Pat more than it surprised me. But this analysis is somewhat contrived.Than is quite commonly treated as a preposition when followed by an isolated noun phrase, and it often occurs with a pronoun in the objective case: John is taller than me. In such sentences using the nominative case (than I) can sound unnatural and even pretentious, and objecting to the objective case of the pronoun may sound pedantic.

So, than is not a preposition in its own, but it can be treated as a preposition in a specific situation (to an isolated noun phrase). (That was why a few months ago MM said "than is part of no preposition". I trusted him but found some things strange these days making it required I ask this as a plain question here.)

AlpheccaStarsIn comparisons using than and as, the second element should be phrased to parallel the first, and faulty parallelism can arise especially when prepositional phrases are involved. In the sentence They felt that the condition of the new buildings was not much better than the old ones, the condition of the new buildings is compared with the old buildings themselves, not with their condition. The pronoun that must be added to balance the noun condition. The noun can be repeated instead, but in either case the prepositional phrase with of must follow: They felt that the condition of the new buildings was not much better than that (or than the condition) of the old ones. Similar parallelism should follow as: I want the photos in our brochure to look as impressive as those in their brochure (not I want the photos in our brochure to look as impressive as their brochure). ·Than and as comparisons pose additional problems when the noun following than or as is the subject or object of an implied clause. Does the sentence The employees are more suspicious of the arbitrator than the owner mean that the employees distrust the arbitrator more than they distrust the owner or that the employees distrust the arbitrator more than the owner does? To clarify this, a verb must be added to the second element of the comparison: The employees are more suspicious of the arbitrator than they are of the owner or The employees are more suspicious of the arbitrator than the owner is.

Good information.

Thank you.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

KhoshtipManSo, than is not a preposition in its own

When you talk about parts of speech, "part of" does not make sense.

Words are classified as parts of speech in the context of their usage in a sentence. Some words are only used as one part of speech, but others can be several parts of speech.

Consider the word "round." If you ask, what part of speech is round? We cannot give you an answer. We require a context.

This is a round ball. (adjective)
The carpenter rounded the corners of the table. (verb)
He keeps turning round and round. (adverb)
Let's play a round of golf. (noun)
She's coming round the corner now. (preposition)

KhoshtipMan · Answer

AlpheccaStarsWhen you talk about parts of speech, "part of" does not make sense.

I meant:
Is than a part of prepositions?
Is than included inside prepositions?
Is than considered among prepositions?
Is than among prepositions?

AlpheccaStarsWords are classified as parts of speech in the context of their usage in a sentence. Some words are only used as one part of speech, but others can be several parts of speech.Consider the word "round." If you ask, what part of speech is round? We cannot give you an answer. We require a context.This is a round ball. (adjective) The carpenter rounded the corners of the table. (verb)He keeps turning round and round. (adverb)Let's play a round of golf. (noun)She's coming round the corner now. (preposition)

I don't know why you wrote these for me!
But they were useful, thanks.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

KhoshtipManIs than a part of prepositions?

Those sentences are not natural. Use one of these instead:

Is "than" a preposition?
Can than be used as a preposition?

CalifJim · Answer

AlpheccaStarsSince the 1700s, grammarians have insisted that than should be regarded as a conjunction in all its uses, ... But this analysis is somewhat contrived.

I wonder why that dictionary thinks the analysis is contrived. Compared to the Ptolemaic solar system, this is hardly a contrivance.

CJ

KhoshtipMan · Answer

AlpheccaStarsIs "than" a preposition?Can than be used as a preposition?

Honestly I also had these in my mind but wanted to use straighter sentences.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

KhoshtipMan I also had these in my mind but wanted to use straighter sentences.

Straighter? That is a strange adjective to apply to a sentence.
Maybe you meant simpler.

Prepositions

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions