Re: preposition

In a message dated 3/18/01 11:28:43 AM, ray.brown@FREEUK.COM writes:

<< This was way back in the 1960s.  She would answer a knock on the staff-room
door with "To whom [sic] do you wish to speak?"  The question was almost
invariably met with a look of incomprehension by the pupil & she would have
to 'translate' to "Who do you want to speak to?" >>

This isn't to say that I don't elide a bit.  Instead of "to whom" I usually
say "tHum" (heavily aspirated "t").  But actually, I usually avoid using
prepositions at all.  Instead of "To whom do you wish to speak", I'll say,
"Who do you want"; instead of "From where did you come" I'll say "Where were
you just now", etc.