Down Below as a Complex Preposition

Abstract

Following Hirao (2014) which empirically demonstrated that the string up above is acting as a complex prepositon in present-day English, this article will demonstrate that the string down below is also acting as a complex preposition in present-day English on the following three reasons:

1. Functional distribution of the string

2. Derivational use as a prepositional adverb

3. Adverbial modicication of the string

If it is poved that the string is a complex preposition along with the string up above, these two instances would indicate that the grammaticalization process of converting two partices into a complex preposition is a productive word formation process in present-day English.