corum
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I do not know anything about etymology, but I have looked up what Quirk et. al. has to say about the criteria that a word have to meet functionally for it to be classified into the group of prepositions.
Two entities are:
1. January (prepositional complement)
2. pay (verb)
January = noun phrase (a bare Christmas tree; only the head)
So far we seem to be on the safe side in arguing in favor of the prepositional status.
The part in bold applies here: temporal adjunct.
We will have to pay more. When? Come January.
'come', in terms of complementation, resembles 'by' (preposition only).
These look feasible to me:
come = preposition form
come = participle form
come = subjunctive form
Syntactic functions of prepositional phrases
9.1
In the most general terms, a preposition expresses a relation between two
entities, one being that represented by the prepositional complement, the
other by another part of the sentence. The prepositional complement is
characteristically a noun phrase, a nominal wh-clause, or a nominal -ing
clause.
Come January, we will have to pay more for petrol.
Two entities are:
1. January (prepositional complement)
2. pay (verb)
January = noun phrase (a bare Christmas tree; only the head)
So far we seem to be on the safe side in arguing in favor of the prepositional status.
Prepositional phrases have the following syntactic functions:
(I) POSTMODIFIER in a noun phrase (cf 17.378):
The people on the bus were singing.
(II) ADVERBIAL
(a) Adjunct (cf8.24ff):
The people were singing on the bus.
In the aBernoon, we went to Boston.
(b) Subjunct (cf 8.88ff):
From apersonalpoint of view, I find this a good solution to the problem.
(C) Disjunct (cf8.121ff):
In all fairness, she did try to phone the police.
(d) Conjunct (cf 8.1348):
On theother hand, he made no attempt to help her.
(III) COMPLEMENTATION
(a) Complementation of a verb (cf 9.60fl, also prepositional verbs, 16.3ff):
We were looking at his awfulpaintings.
(b) Complementation of an adjective (cf 9.60ff, 16.688):
I'm sorryfor hisparents.
The part in bold applies here: temporal adjunct.
We will have to pay more. When? Come January.
A definition of 'preposition'
9.2
There are several points of similarity between prepositions and other word
classes and constructions in English grammar, in particular conjunctions and
adverbs, but also participles and adjectives. Before discussing the marginal cases, it will be useful to try to define central prepositions.
CENTRAL prepositions in English can be defined negatively with three
criteria. They cannot have as a complement:
(i) a that-clause
(ii) an infinitive clause
(iii) a subjective case form of a personal pronoun
In certain cases, the same items can function both as prepositions and conjunctions, eg: after, as, before, since, until.
the day before she arrived
the day before her arrival
One distinguishing criterion between the two word classes is that prepositions
introduce complements which are nominal or nominalized, whereas the
corresponding conjunctions (subordinators) introduce a subordinate clause.
The situation is however complicated in the case of nonfinite clauses, since
-ing clauses are permitted after a preposition in English:
On arriving she took a taxi.
Compare after, which can be used either as a conjunction or a preposition,
with on the one hand when, which can only be a conjunction, and on the
other by, which can only be a preposition
when = conjunction only
FINITE CLAUSE: when he comes
NONFINITE: when speaking
NOUN PHRASE: *when her speech
after: conjunction or preposition
FINITE CLAUSE: after he comes
NONFINITE: after speaking
NOUN PHRASE: after her speech
by = preposition only
FINITE CLAUSE: *by he comes
NONFINITE: by speaking
NOUN PHRASE: by her speech
FINITE CLAUSE: *come he comes
NONFINITE: come speaking
NOUN PHRASE: come her speech
'come', in terms of complementation, resembles 'by' (preposition only).
Some -ing and -ed participial forms can function both as marginal
prepositions as nonfinite verb forms, and as conjunctions, eg:
considering and given :
PREPOSITIONS :
Considering his age, he has made excellent progress in his studies. ['If
one considers his age . . .', 'In view of his age . . .'
Given the present conditions, I think she's done rather well. ['If one takes
into account . . .']
Come January, we will have to pay more for petrol.
PARTICIPLES :
Considering the conditions in the office, she thought it wise not to apply
for the job. ['When she considered the conditions. . .'l
Given the chance, I'd do it again. ['If I were given the chance. . .'l
Come (past participle form of "come") January, we will have to pay more for petrol. (When January comes...)
CONJUNCTIONS :
Considering that he is rather young, his parents have advised him not to
apply.
Given that this work was produced under particularly difficult circumstances, the result is better than could be expected.
Come January, we will have to pay more for petrol.
Come January, we will have to pay more for petrol.
These look feasible to me:
come = preposition form
come = participle form
come = subjunctive form
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