Ending Sentences with Prepositions in English

To review: English does not have an official governing body that dictates what is right or wrong. Instead, it is based on a set of standards and accepted truths as far as what is the “best way” to properly communicate. Given that fact, there are many different avenues to take when it comes to expressing yourself in English and just about as many disagreements as far as what is “proper English communication”.

One of the most devilish issues is whether or not it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, i.e. “He does not know what he is talking about.”

Where does the idea that this usage is incorrect come from (whoops, “Whence comes the idea…”)? Latin, of course. And a bit of German as well. There is no basis for it in objective English usage. The idea that a preposition should not be the final word of a sentence originated simply because it is true in the other languages that are related to English. Yet English is English and Latin is Latin, etc. So why has this meme stuck with us for so many centuries? Who knows. But I contend it is not valid, since employing it is often the most concise and correct way to express certain ideas.

For supporting evidence, I will rely on the famous quip that is often attributed to Winston Churchill, but applies to the case regardless of the original speaker:

That is a rule up with which I will not put.

Case closed.