Question for EGNs (English Grammar Nerds)

I was thinking of introducing a cartoon that I like with a comment. To do so, I searched my memory and the word "apropos" came up, but to make sure that I had a grasp of the meaning of that word, I googled for a "definition" of it and this popped up:


Oddly enough, I had decided that my comment would end with the words: "Nothing in particular." After getting the definitions above, I found myself puzzled. Why?
Because if my complete comment is: "Apropos nothing in particular" and by "apropos" I mean: "With reference to or concerning nothing in particular", my comment satisfies my goal. But if I mean: "Very appropriate to a particular situation, i.e. nothing in particular" my comment seems to be an oxymoron which makes my comment seem odd and silly. Ergo, the reason for my puzzlement.

Here, again, is my proposed comment:

Apropos nothing in particular.

And here's the cartoon that I wanted to introduce:


Question: Is my proposed comment satisfactory or odd and silly?

Terry Sampson said:

Apropos nothing in particular.

Click to expand...

This is fine in the former case.

Terry Sampson said:

I was thinking of introducing a cartoon that I like with a comment. To do so, I searched my memory and the word "apropos" came up, but to make sure that I had a grasp of the meaning of that word, I googled for a "definition" of it and this popped up:

View attachment 41868
Oddly enough, I had decided that my comment would end with the words: "Nothing in particular." After getting the definitions above, I found myself puzzled. Why?
Because if my complete comment is: "Apropos nothing in particular" and by "apropos" I mean: "With reference to or concerning nothing in particular", my comment satisfies my goal. But if I mean: "Very appropriate to a particular situation, i.e. nothing in particular" my comment seems to be an oxymoron which makes my comment seem odd and silly. Ergo, the reason for my puzzlement.

Here, again, is my proposed comment:

Apropos nothing in particular.

And here's the cartoon that I wanted to introduce:

View attachment 41869
Question: Is my proposed comment satisfactory or odd and silly?

Click to expand...

I think you need the word "to" in there. "Apropos to nothing in particular."

It seems odd that they are calling apropos a preposition in the first definition when it needs a preposition following it in a prepositional phrase (as in the example under the definition).


ETA: Then again, maybe it is and I'm wrong. M-W has it listed as an adverb and a preposition, using it in a prepositional phrase without an additional preposition.

"Apropos nothing particular" sounds odd to me.

SalixIncendium said:

I think you need the word "to" in there. "Apropos to nothing in particular." ..."Apropos nothing particular" sounds odd to me.

Click to expand...

Ahhh! Your response moved me to search for the word's etymology.
How to Use Apropos Correctly – Grammarist
"to" is allowable, but apparently not mandatory.
I can eliminate my puzzlement altogether by just writing: "About nothing in particular".

Terry Sampson said:

Ahhh! Your response moved me to search for the word's etymology.
How to Use Apropos Correctly – Grammarist
"to" is allowable, but apparently not mandatory.
I can eliminate my puzzlement altogether by just writing: "About nothing in particular".

Click to expand...

One rule of grammar is to avoid sounding too strange.
You've achieved that.

Terry Sampson said:

I was thinking of introducing a cartoon that I like with a comment. To do so, I searched my memory and the word "apropos" came up, but to make sure that I had a grasp of the meaning of that word, I googled for a "definition" of it and this popped up:

View attachment 41868
Oddly enough, I had decided that my comment would end with the words: "Nothing in particular." After getting the definitions above, I found myself puzzled. Why?
Because if my complete comment is: "Apropos nothing in particular" and by "apropos" I mean: "With reference to or concerning nothing in particular", my comment satisfies my goal. But if I mean: "Very appropriate to a particular situation, i.e. nothing in particular" my comment seems to be an oxymoron which makes my comment seem odd and silly. Ergo, the reason for my puzzlement.

Here, again, is my proposed comment:

Apropos nothing in particular.

And here's the cartoon that I wanted to introduce:

View attachment 41869
Question: Is my proposed comment satisfactory or odd and silly?

Click to expand...

I'd better not comment about the grammatical use since I'd already messed up the spelling. À propos is how I'd spelled it and I didn't think that a "to" may (should) be allowed since it's already in the "à".
But English is only my second language and French my third.

if you're gonna stick with apropos, i think it should be "apropos OF nothing.."

"Aporopros of nothing" is how I've always heard it used.