With which

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Sextus

#283255 Thu, 19 Oct 06 11:02 PM

"They are not aware of the skeptical origin of the problematic they deal with."

"They are not aware of the skeptical origin of the problematic with which they deal."

In formal writing, is it better to use the second phrasing?

Thanks

Sextus

Joined on Sat, Nov 6 2004

Buenos Aires

Regular Member (731)

Tanit

#283258 Thu, 19 Oct 06 11:08 PM

Isn't problematic an adjective? Did you mean problem?

Tanit

Joined on Mon, Jul 31 2006

In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea

Senior Member (2,219)

A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day. (A. Schweitzer)

Sextus

#283263 Thu, 19 Oct 06 11:23 PM

I've seen it used as a noun in, e.g., the expression "the Pyrrhonian problematic".

Sextus

Nouns, Expressions

Tanit

#283268 Thu, 19 Oct 06 11:32 PM

Interesting, thank you.

Tanit

Grammar Geek

#283278 Fri, 20 Oct 06 12:06 AM

I think that the "never end a sentence with a preposition" has been pretty well killed off. In my own opinion, "with which they deal" sounds artificial. I would use your first example.

(Although the point about missing a noun remains.)

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,003)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Prepositions, Nouns

Sextus

#283284 Fri, 20 Oct 06 12:12 AM

Thanks, GG. Yes, it sounded artificial to me, too. That's why I asked.

Regarding the "missing noun", "problematic" has been used as a noun, as I said. If you google it, you'll find the expressions "Pyrrhonian problematic" and "skeptical problematic".

Cheers

Sextus

Nouns, Expressions

Marius Hancu

#283314 Fri, 20 Oct 06 02:46 AM

Grammar Geek wrote:
I think that the "never end a sentence with a preposition" has been pretty well killed off. In my own opinion, "with which they deal" sounds artificial. I would use your first example. missing a noun remains.)

Same here.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Grammar, Prepositions, Nouns

Anonymous

#283344 Fri, 20 Oct 06 04:36 AM

Sextus wrote:

Regarding the "missing noun", "problematic" has been used as a noun, as I said. If you google it, you'll find the expressions "Pyrrhonian problematic" and "skeptical problematic".

Well, when I found problematic as an adjective in Wiktionary.

[link]

GB.

Anonymous