The word "but" can fill all three slots, of course, but in answer to Peter's question, I would point out that the meaning remains fairly consistent even when the word is used in different roles. Just as "but" can be a preposition replacing "except," some writers/speakers use "except" as a coordinating conjunction: I thought about going to the store, except I didn't have any money. I would caution writers against such a construction, just as I would caution them not to use "like" as a subordinating conjunction. But it is easy to see why they would be tempted to replace "but" with "except" in a sentence such as this one if they hadn't memorized the list of seven words widely accepted as coordinating conjunctions. Aren't we back to the notion of style--what I think of as linguistic etiquette? Using "but" as a preposition works *and* it has long been accepted as a legitimate preposition. On the other hand, even though "except" works just fine as a coordinating conjunction (that is, the meaning isn't lost), many people consider it "wrong." A similar example would be confusion over the usage of "like" and "as": "like" functions just fine as a subordinating conjunction (that is, the intended meaning isn't lost when it is substituted for "as"), but stylistically many people still consider it "wrong." I'm about to start the revision process for a second edition of a book of writing "tips" a colleague and I published about seven years ago, and I'm almost to the point that I want to divide the entire book up into two major sections: (1) those "rules" that are important to know because the professional world thinks they are and educated people are supposed to know them (linguistic etiquette, matters of style and usage) and (2) those issues/rules that are important to know because they significantly affect clarity of meaning or precision of expression (modification issues, agreement issues, parallel structure, etc). I am certain that I am going to start making that distinction in the one and only grammar course that our English majors are required to take. I have been doing so to some extent for years, actually, but not as intentionally as I intend to do so now. The course (using Martha Kolln's text _Understanding English Grammar_) focuses almost exclusively on the latter issues anyway--syntax, mainly (and, yes, we diagram sentences and my students consistently say that they are better writers for having done so)--but students are still lumping that kind of understanding with a knowledge of "rules" and calling *all* of it "grammar." Nancy (who obviously had too much coffee for breakfast, Herb!) Nancy L. Tuten, PhD Professor of English Director of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Program Columbia College Columbia, South Carolina [log in to unmask] 803-786-3706 -----Original Message----- From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of STAHLKE, HERBERT F Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 12:14 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: But as a preposition? Interestingly, the OED gives the part of speech of "but" as "prep., adv., conj." These distinct usages go back at least to the 9th c. As to whether it's one word, or two, or three, I fear that depends on your theory of the lexicon and what you had for breakfast. Herb -----Original Message----- From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Adams Sent: 2008-02-28 22:50 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: But as a preposition? Well, then, we (Herb, Nancy, and I, agree. But then I'm wondering (and this harks back to my question of a week ago about "red" and "snow") is this "but" a different word from the coordinating conjunction "but," that just happens to be spelled and pronounced the same way, or is this the same word which can be in either of two lexical classes depending on context, or is this "but" the coordinating conjunction (form) being used as a preposition (function)? Peter, who admits he's becoming a little obsessed with this question . . . Peter Adams On Feb 28, 2008, at 9:13 PM, STAHLKE, HERBERT F wrote: > Yes, it can. In the example you give, one could substitute a > undisputed > preposition like "except" and get the same meaning. With different > meanings we can substitute other prepositions and the structure > remains > the same: behind, with, ahead of, after, near, under, above, etc. So > it fills a slot that is a prepositional slot. It's semantic > connection > to the coordinating conjunction "but" is remote. > > Herb > > -----Original Message----- > From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Adams > Sent: 2008-02-28 20:34 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: But as a preposition? > > In a sentence like this > > Everyone but Craig is going to the movies. > > what lexical class is "but"? Can it be a preposition? > > Peter Adams > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/