Stranding

What is stranding?

While not strictly unique to English, preposition stranding is a relatively rare feature among the world’s languages.

Most languages (including other Germanic languages to some extent) prefer or require pied-piping: moving the preposition with its object.

In the context of CGEL, we can categorize English as part of a small group of languages that allow this syntactic “gap” to be left behind.

stranding isn’t actually an “opposition” to the rule of word order; rather, it is a systematic exception designed to maintain the order of the clause’s most important elements.

Note: Every adjective typically license a specific preposition (see list)

The conflict

English is a Fixed Word Order language (Subject-Verb-Object). However, it is also a language that requires the Topic (the thing we are talking about) to move to the front of a relative clause or question.

When the object of a preposition is the topic, we have a conflict:

• The SVO Rule says: “Keep the object after the preposition.”

• The Topic Rule says: “Move the object to the front. You want the most important word (the topic) at the very front.

• The Pied-Piping Alternative: To keep the grammar “proper” (Latin-style), you move the preposition too: “To liberty we are committed.”

The Problem: The very first word the reader sees is “To”—a small, weak preposition. The “Topic” (Liberty) is pushed to the second position.

By stranding the preposition, you “clear the way” for the topic to take the absolute first position in the clause.

Liberty we are committed to

Result: The topic is now in the most prominent position possible (the absolute start), and the sentence ends with a clear relationship.

Prepositional passive

What makes English stand out—even among languages that allow it—is the prepositional passive.

English allows you to turn the object of a preposition into the Subject of a passive sentence:

Construction	English Example	CGEL Analysis
Active	They looked at the map.	at + Complement (the map)
Passive	The map was looked at.	Subject (the map) + stranded preposition (at)

Wh-questions

Very common.

You talked to her (base)

To whom did you talk? (formal)

Who did you talk to? (stranding)

Relative clauses

I spoke to the person (base)

The person to whom I spoke (formal)

The person who I spoke to (stranding)

Passive clauses

The object of the preposition becomes the subject, leaving the preposition stranded.

Someone slept in this bed (base)

In this bed, someone slept (formal)

This bed was slept in (stranding)

She was talked about (stranding)

Topicalisation / focus movement

A phrase moves to the front for emphasis.

I can’t work with that person. (base)

That is a person with whom I cannot work (formal)

That person, I can’t work with. (stranding)

Cleft sentences

Focus constructions also allow stranding.

Who did you spoke to? (base)

Who was it that you spoke to? (Cleft)

Who was it you spoke to? (cleft, no that)

To whom was it that you spoke? (formal)

To whom did you speak? (formal)

With whom did you speak? (formal, if the intended preposition were with)

This is the person I was talking about. (stranding)

Infinitival relatives

Also very common. Here the understood object of the preposition is the subject.

She is easy to talk to. That chair is uncomfortable to sit in.

Underlying idea:

talk to her → she is easy to talk to

Summary

Construction	Example
Wh-questions	Who did you speak to?
Relative clauses	the person I spoke to
Passive	This bed was slept in
Topicalisation	That person I can’t work with
Clefts	Who was it you spoke to?
Infinitival relatives	She is easy to talk to