One of the more enduring grammar debates concerns the use of like versus as. The primary discrepancy is whether or not common usage of
like, traditionally a preposition, also establishes its use as a conjunction in place of
as.
A preposition joins nouns, pronouns and other words within a sentence: "This meat tastes like chicken." Notice that the preposition
like introduces the noun
chicken. A conjunction connects words, phrases and clauses: "Suddenly, I felt as if I was not alone."
As if is the conjunction that joins the first clause,
Suddenly, I felt with a second,
I was not alone and is followed by the verb
was. Enter the discrepancy: "Suddenly, I felt
like I was not alone." This may sound correct to the average ear or in an informal conversation but following the preposition with a verb does break with grammar rules.
Several sources allow for the popular usage, citing centuries of common speech. Strunk and White firmly maintains that
like is not an acceptable substitution, arguing: "If every word or device that achieved currency were immediately authenticated, simply on the ground of popularity, the language would be as chaotic as a ball game with no foul lines." Wherever one may fall along the spectrum regarding the increasingly relaxed use of
like—as an inevitable evolution or a corruption of the English language—there remains a basic principle regarding the use of
like versus
as:
The preposition like compares unlike things and is followed by nouns and pronouns.The conjunction as compares similar things and is followed by verbs.Likely, the informal use of
like as a conjunction will not garner a correction and there are several instances where common usage does override the use of
as. Still, for the formal essay or text, defaulting to the proper usage will yield the most accurate language.
For additional examples, opinions and explanations see the Chicago Manual of Style, The Copyediting Handbook, and Bartleby.com: http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/033.html and http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/012.html.
Tonight's the night! Head over to PIANOS (158 Ludlow St., New York, NY) for a reading by Ink-Filled Page authors and friends: Joseph Riippi (author of “Seahorse” in Ink-Filled Page Anthology 2008), Ryan Davidson (lecturer at CCNY in poetry), Victoria McCoy (poet in the Sarah Lawrence MFA program), Melanie Thernstrom (best-selling nonfiction writer), and Kristin Thiel (Indigo fiction editor). What better way to kick off your weekend?
