- Forum >
- Topic: Swedish >
- "Vart går du?"
85 Comments
376
Thank you for clarifying. After all the comments (above and in other lessons) stating that går is always walk and åker is any other movement except walking I got a little confused here.
1446
vart with direction, var with location. The question is 'Where are you going to', what's your goal.
It's spelled whither (wither is a completly different word which is still used). It's been explained a few times in other comments on this page but there is a difference between "where" and "to where", just as there is a difference between "var" and "vart". The default translation does not use "whither" and so you need not worry yourself about it. It only suggests it if it thought you typed something close. However, "whither" absolutely does mean "to where" and does not mean just "where", which is why it is accepted as a correct translation for "vart".
166
I'm from Southeastern Pennsylvania, and almost everyone ends their sentences in prepositions when asking questions like this. "Where are you going to?" "Where are you at?" "Where should we go to?" These are all everyday phrases around here. It doesn't sound funny and no one would correct you.
386
"Where are you going to?" is not a good English translation, although I've heard it used. It identifies the speaker as poorly educated. English it is not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition.
That is discouraged in formal writing but you describe a largely prescriptivist view that does not match how the everyday language is used by perfectly normal people, whether poorly or well educated. You will find that the course doesn't care much about where prepositions are put - especially if the Swedish sentence does use a sentence-final preposition, in which case it can be pedagogical.
I'll stick my neck out and agree.
Also, to devalanteriel, just because people do it, doesn't make it right. People throw garbage onto the street regularly. Will I? Never.
Just to check my understanding, Swedish does not care where a preposition lands? Interesting. I shall strive to retain this rule.
Upset? It's important to understand grammar in order to learn a new language.
Even when we don't follow the rules, it's critical to know the rules in order to translate concepts from other languages. Normally English speakers don't need to know nothing 'bout nothing else. Learning languages, knowing parts of speech is essential, not edgy.
....which is fine in everyday speech, just not in formal writing. It's based on the belief that English should mirror Latin: https://newrepublic.com/article/113187/grumpy-grammarian-dangling-preposition-myth
Ah, this may be true, but it's based on the knowledge that this is how English is taught in schools by teachers. Or it was when I was young SO long ago. But since they gave up teaching cursive handwriting, it surprises me not a wit they may have given up on dangling prepositions.
As a former professional writer, when I came up with a sentence which ended with a preposition, I would rewrite the sentence - not just move the preposition.
1446
Personally, I sure wish I could type that too. However, typo/variant spelling handling for English is done automatically by Duo, so if you want to campaign for this, do it in the general forums. I'll be sure to upvote u. :)
Shakespeare did it, and so has everyone else who did not mislearn the non-rule against it. I'm sorry that all of them, plus the university that has taught English for a millennium, aren't enough authority to convince you but let's keep this relevant to the forum. Duolingo is correct. If they removed the preposition, it would only serve to add confusion to people learning the difference between var and vart.
It's just a common grammar urban legend really. Even the Oxford Dictionary has debunked it. It's just a remnant of wishful thinking from latin-inspired 17th century brits.
I think you read my initital comment too quickly.
"We were taught not to end a sentence with a preposition."
To which you repplied, "That's nonsense."
No, you are incorrect. I was indeed taught that, and no amount of cutting and pasting from a quick Google search on your part will change that. Your argument is based on your opinion and a Google search while mine is a statement made from experience. One can never negate the other. If anything, this has provided insight into language's dynamism.
This was fun! Have a nice day :-)
Apart from that the act of mentioning something means you want to bring said something into an argument, maybe? And the fact that "that's nonsense" was referring to what you were taught and not the fact you were taught it? And the fallback to "I never even meant that" when your point is disproven? That's what trolls do, by the way.
...Never mind, this has dragged on long enough either way
SophiaBonita. Yeah, I was taught that as well in grammar school and high school in the US. Imagine my surprise when, as a linguistics major in college who studied English historical linguistics, I found that that rule was indeed nonsense. If you read the historical documents, you find that English has always used "prepositions" at the end of sentences, and it was indeed some Latin scholastic pedants who tried to impose Latin grammar on English. Furthermore, a lot of the so called prepositions are actually not functioning as prepositions at all, but rather comprise a two-part verb. For example: "Slow down" and "slow up" BOTH are imperatives to go more slowly, but there is no up or down direction implied in their usage. English has many such verbs, and the pedants of my youth tried to get us to avoid using them as well. I like Winston Churchill's supposed statement on this when he was criticized for ending a sentence with a preposition: "This is the type of errant pedantry up with which I will not put."
Do the good schools teach not to put the comma in "you, Miss," as well? That statement was somebody's high-brow joke, no more. To support this: http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2011/11/grammar-myths-prepositions/
Duolingo doesn't require you to end your answer with a preposition; I think you're OK either way.
The comma you missed is not a comma-splice, whether it's there or not, but Duolingo doesn't appear to care about commas; perhaps here noone should.
The person you addressed as 'Miss' would require the masculine honorific, if any at all. I think that would be 'Herr' vs 'Fröken' in Svenska.
To me, it looks like you read the comment too quickly and wrongly assumed yours had been read too quickly. The moderator was actually being nice by answering you and I don't think you appreciated that.