"Where you at?" sounds stupid, stop saying it.

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Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,946
11
81
Latin has a rule against ending sentences with prepositions, but English has no such rule. Only undereducated Oxfordesque-wannabe snobs insist on it, thinking it is somehow vulgar. Ending a sentence with a preposition is acceptable in normal, everyday casual conversation. It only sounds better not to do so in professional context, otherwise it sounds pretentious. To quote Winston Churchill (after being called out on this imagined rule): "That is the kind of thing up with which I will not put."

Child: I want to be read to.
Mother: Which book would you like to be read to out of?
Child: Robinson Crusoe.
(Mother brings Swiss Family Robinson)
Child: What did you bring me that book to be read to out of for?
 

timur

Member
Jun 23, 2001
141
0
0
Originally posted by: Leros
I'm tired of hearing people on cell phones saying "Where you at?". WTF, thats not even a proper sentence. Ugh. What you mean to say is "Where are you at?"

Please learn to speak.

A lot of people I know say that. It's our way of asking where someone is. Except it mostly my black friends LOL
 
Apr 17, 2005
13,465
3
81
Originally posted by: sm8000
Latin has a rule against ending sentences with prepositions, but English has no such rule. Only undereducated Oxfordesque-wannabe snobs insist on it, thinking it is somehow vulgar. Ending a sentence with a preposition is acceptable in normal, everyday casual conversation. It only sounds better not to do so in professional context, otherwise it sounds pretentious. To quote Winston Churchill (after being called out on this imagined rule): "That is the kind of thing up with which I will not put."

Child: I want to be read to.
Mother: Which book would you like to be read to out of?
Child: Robinson Crusoe.
(Mother brings Swiss Family Robinson)
Child: What did you bring me that book to be read to out of for?

hm...i didnt know that. interesting
 

Ninjja

Golden Member
Sep 4, 2003
1,552
0
0
what about just "where are you". I don't see the reason for an "at".

but it's fun to say sometimes
 

AgentJean

Banned
Jun 7, 2006
1,280
0
0
Originally posted by: herbiehancock

You don't end sentences with a preposition. That's from a simple 3rd grade English grammar lesson.


Ending a sentence in a preposition is something up with which I will not put! - Yoda's High School English teacher.
 

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
And ending a sentence with a preposition, even in familiar colloquial settings, just shows that one is poorly educated in English and grammar. "Where are you?" is vastly superior and more correct than "Where you at?" makes you sound rather low-browed or, I hate to say it, ignorant.

You are the one sounding ignorant here. Categorizing those who do not mesh with the customs of your social circle as ignorant.

This has nothing to do with customs (granted name calling is pretty lame on his part). But, it's about speaking proper english -it's an integral part of our scholastic system for a reason.
Truth be told in the scenario described, the offender was not in a scholastic and/or formal environment. He had adjusted his linguistic patterns according to his audience in order to best perform the verbal communication. I agree with you that "where you at?" and other such colloquialisms have no real place in formal writing or speech.

Lmao, don't give me that boiler plate BS. He was using incorrect grammar -period. There is no way around it. Using incorrect grammar is using incorrect grammar. If he was saying "Where you at?" because the person on the other line couldn?t understand him if he were to say "Where are you?" -then there is other problems present in the situation. :)
 

IceBergSLiM

Lifer
Jul 11, 2000
29,932
3
81
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
And ending a sentence with a preposition, even in familiar colloquial settings, just shows that one is poorly educated in English and grammar. "Where are you?" is vastly superior and more correct than "Where you at?" makes you sound rather low-browed or, I hate to say it, ignorant.

You are the one sounding ignorant here. Categorizing those who do not mesh with the customs of your social circle as ignorant.

This has nothing to do with customs (granted name calling is pretty lame on his part). But, it's about speaking proper english -it's an integral part of our scholastic system for a reason.
Truth be told in the scenario described, the offender was not in a scholastic and/or formal environment. He had adjusted his linguistic patterns according to his audience in order to best perform the verbal communication. I agree with you that "where you at?" and other such colloquialisms have no real place in formal writing or speech.

Lmao, don't give me that boiler plate BS. He was using incorrect grammar., period. There is no way around it. Using incorrect grammar is using incorrect grammar. If he was saying "Where you at?" because the person on the other line couldn?t understand him if he were to say "Where are you?" -then there is other problems present in the situation. :)

You are not understanding that he is not required to use perfect speech when communicating in an informal manner. That is the real point.
 

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
And ending a sentence with a preposition, even in familiar colloquial settings, just shows that one is poorly educated in English and grammar. "Where are you?" is vastly superior and more correct than "Where you at?" makes you sound rather low-browed or, I hate to say it, ignorant.

You are the one sounding ignorant here. Categorizing those who do not mesh with the customs of your social circle as ignorant.

This has nothing to do with customs (granted name calling is pretty lame on his part). But, it's about speaking proper english -it's an integral part of our scholastic system for a reason.

people arent always ina scholastic environment. As long as who i'm talking to understands me, pricks like the OP can shut the fvck up.

Sure -and that's your choice. But, we're talking about using proper english. We're talking about the OP and his subject here -not whether or not you choose or to use it. That's completely your choice.
 
Apr 17, 2005
13,465
3
81
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
And ending a sentence with a preposition, even in familiar colloquial settings, just shows that one is poorly educated in English and grammar. "Where are you?" is vastly superior and more correct than "Where you at?" makes you sound rather low-browed or, I hate to say it, ignorant.

You are the one sounding ignorant here. Categorizing those who do not mesh with the customs of your social circle as ignorant.

This has nothing to do with customs (granted name calling is pretty lame on his part). But, it's about speaking proper english -it's an integral part of our scholastic system for a reason.
Truth be told in the scenario described, the offender was not in a scholastic and/or formal environment. He had adjusted his linguistic patterns according to his audience in order to best perform the verbal communication. I agree with you that "where you at?" and other such colloquialisms have no real place in formal writing or speech.

Lmao, don't give me that boiler plate BS. He was using incorrect grammar -period. There is no way around it. Using incorrect grammar is using incorrect grammar. If he was saying "Where you at?" because the person on the other line couldn?t understand him if he were to say "Where are you?" -then there is other problems present in the situation. :)

i use incorrect grammar. cookie for me?
 

timur

Member
Jun 23, 2001
141
0
0
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
"Sup (Derogatory term often used as a racial slur against those who appear to have African-American heritage)?"

- M4H

Im alright. You?
 

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
And ending a sentence with a preposition, even in familiar colloquial settings, just shows that one is poorly educated in English and grammar. "Where are you?" is vastly superior and more correct than "Where you at?" makes you sound rather low-browed or, I hate to say it, ignorant.

You are the one sounding ignorant here. Categorizing those who do not mesh with the customs of your social circle as ignorant.

This has nothing to do with customs (granted name calling is pretty lame on his part). But, it's about speaking proper english -it's an integral part of our scholastic system for a reason.
Truth be told in the scenario described, the offender was not in a scholastic and/or formal environment. He had adjusted his linguistic patterns according to his audience in order to best perform the verbal communication. I agree with you that "where you at?" and other such colloquialisms have no real place in formal writing or speech.

Lmao, don't give me that boiler plate BS. He was using incorrect grammar -period. There is no way around it. Using incorrect grammar is using incorrect grammar. If he was saying "Where you at?" because the person on the other line couldn?t understand him if he were to say "Where are you?" -then there is other problems present in the situation. :)

i use incorrect grammar. cookie for me?

:cookie:
 

yosuke188

Platinum Member
Apr 19, 2005
2,726
2
0
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
And ending a sentence with a preposition, even in familiar colloquial settings, just shows that one is poorly educated in English and grammar. "Where are you?" is vastly superior and more correct than "Where you at?" makes you sound rather low-browed or, I hate to say it, ignorant.

Why you so ignant?
 

Ricemarine

Lifer
Sep 10, 2004
10,507
0
0
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: timur
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
"Sup (Derogatory term often used as a racial slur against those who appear to have African-American heritage)?"

- M4H

Im alright. You?

I'm down with OPP.

Yeah, you know me.

:D

- M4H

5-0 5-0!!!!...
Da heck.
They takin over our hood! RUN!!!
 

Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
1
81
Who cares? For the record, the language came before the rules and the rules must adapt to usage accordingly. The rules serve as basis for teaching the language, but in reality don't guide its common usage. Tough luck for the grammar nazis.