Exception Prepositions

(Under Development)

This category of prepositional senses includes mostly subjuncts and disjuncts that indicate something constituting an exception or exclusion to what is predicated in the related clause. This discussion of the Exception class of prepositions is based on an examination of the Exception senses identified in The Preposition Project (TPP) with the Pattern Dictionary of English Prepositions (PDEP). This set of senses is discussed in sections 9.58 and 9.59 of Quirk et al. There are 26 exception senses under 24 prepositions. Many senses in the exception class are related to the Membership class, essentially acting as its opposite. That is, whereas membership identifies inclusion in some group, exception indicates that its complement is not in a group, usually identified by the governor. Other senses identify a factor that is excluded from consideration. (See Preposition Classes for how this class relates to other classes. For the supersenses (unlexicalized categores for prepositions), see PrepWiki; the PDEP database is being kept synchronized with this project, as they are assigned to TPP senses.)

Category Types

• Exception: the complement is not a member of the class identified in the main clause or the class identified in the main clause is not a member of the class identified in the complement, 'cept (1(1)) (variant of except), apart from (1(1)), aside from (1(1)), bar (1(1)), bar (2(1a)) (horse(s), when stating odds), barring (1(1)), but (1(1)), but for (1(1)), but for (2(1a)) (if complement not taken into account), dehors (1(1)) (not including), ex (3(2)) (not including), except (1(1)), except for (1(1)), excepting (1(1)), excluding (1(1)), exclusive of (1(1)), give or take (2(1a)) (apart from), other than (1(1)), outside (4(2)) (beyond scope of), outside of (2(1a)), outside of (3(n)) (beyond scope of), outwith (4(2)) (beyond scope of), save (1(1)), save (2(n)) (with following 'for'), saving (1(1)), than (2(2)) (usually with 'rather'), with the exception of (1(1))
• Exclusion: the complement is a factor that is not taken into account, though it might seem relevant, or is insufficient, beyond (9(5)) (usually with negative), irrespective of (1(1)) (thing disregarded), regardless of (1(1)) (thing disregarded)

Selection Criteria

References

1. Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., and Svartik, J. 1985. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman: New York, pp. 707-9.