Show TAKE MY WORD FOR IT By Frank Colby Q My English class and I 1 are stymied over this construction Everyone went but I J me Can you turn the light of your common sense on this puzzler Mrs C. C de H. H Answer Puzzler is the right word I seldom deal in the in involvements involvements involvements in- in of technical grammar grammar grammar gram gram- mar but this is an important point which needs explaining The truth is the various authorities authorities au au- au- au grammars and dictionaries dictionaries dictionaries dic dic- dic- dic which I have consulted are arc at odds on whether but butin but butIn in this construction is a conjunction conjunction conjunction con con- junction or a preposition Here are actual examples from from the dictionaries in which but but is a preposition No one replied but me all have coats but me there was no one left but me no one had the least control over him but her Here are examples in which but is a conjunction All An Allbut but buthe buthe he had fled no one replied but butI I all aU were there but she And there you are Mrs C C. de deH H. H Now Nov heres here's the way I look at atit atit atit it but please understand that this is only my opinion and Is not a grammatical rule nile But Butin in everyone went but is isa isa isa a preposition meaning with the exception of or Therefore it calls caUs for the thc objective pronouns me him her us them I think that most readers will agree ree that everyone went but I sounds stilted and artificial On the theother theother theother other hand everyone went but me mc is unaffected and idiomatic Notice how natural it Is to say All had books but me All AU won prizes but him Whether to use that or which often stumps the experts Mr Colby's leaflet C 8 contains a simple key that instantly solves the difficult construction For Fora a copy send a stamped self- self addressed addressed- envelope and in coin com |