Date:    Thu, 19 Mar 1998 13:07:15 EST
<br>From:    RonButters  RonButters[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM 
<br>Subject: OF, the universal preposition
<br>
<br>In a message dated 3/19/98 9:29:33 AM, you wrote:
<br>
<br>  At 9:33 PM -0800 3/18/98, Devon Coles wrote:
<br> Lately on campus I've heard a number of young students use the phrase "bored
<br> of" as in "I'm bored of this course." It's really been driving me up the
<br> wall. But even worse, today I overhead someone say, "I'm sorry. Are you
<br> embarrassed of my question?"
<br> Is this just a local thing (British Columbia), or has anyone else noticed
<br> this odd use of "of"?
<br>
<br>Might be generational.  My kids (at least one of them) often complain about
<br>being "bored of" something, and they're in Connecticut (a ways from BC).
<br>Impressionistically, there may be an influence from "tired of" here.  (I
<br>suppose some would see a blend or 'contamination' if this is right.)
<br>
<br>Larry  
<br>
<br>Perhaps OF is replacing all other prepositions in all such contexts. Here are
<br>two quotes from (or should I say "of"?) a student paper that I happen to be
<br>reading right now:
<br>
<br>1. "David's own disgust of [SIC--not "for" or "with"] Jacques and Guillaume is
<br>seen clearly in the following passage . . ."
<br>
<br>2. "The reason why David is so fiercely hateful of [SIC--not "toward"] Jacques
<br>and Guillaume is probably because he feels that they represent his future."
<br>
<br>The author is a very bright 18-year-old male from  (or should I say "of"?)
<br>Cleveland, Ohio.
<br>