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Ahn Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
a grammatical interpretation on this sentence.
The trading firms, having racked up huge losses, some of which were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money, suddenly had to raise cash to pay back their bankers.
I thought the blue part might be interpreted in two ways. One is 'their losses were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money', and the other is 'the trading firms were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money'. The former is more appropriate in the context but I'd like know if there is any grammatical proof of this.
I thought the blue part might be interpreted in two ways. One is 'their losses were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money', and the other is 'the trading firms were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money'. The former is more appropriate in the context but I'd like know if there is any grammatical proof of this.
Top answer
Ahn The trading firms, having racked up huge losses, some of which (some of which losses) were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money , suddenly had to raise cash to pay back their bankers. I thought the blue part might be interpreted in two ways. One is 'their losses were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money' , and the other is 'the trading firms were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money'.
- Ahn The trading firms, having racked up huge losses, some of which (some of which losses) were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money , suddenly had to raise cash to pay back their bankers.
- I thought the blue part might be interpreted in two ways.
- One is 'their losses were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money' , and the other is 'the trading firms were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money'.
- The formoer is more appropriate in the context but I'd like know if there is any grammatical proof of this.
- The first interpretation is correct.
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4 Answers
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AhnThe trading firms, having racked up huge losses, some of which (some of which losses) were magnified fifty times by using borrowed money, suddenly had to raise cash to pay back their bankers.
I thought the blue part might be interpreted in two ways. One is 'their losses were magnified fifty t
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Thank you.
But I don't see why the latter one can't be correct grammatically.
But I don't see why the latter one can't be correct grammatically.
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The principle is called proximity.
Look at how the terms are placed in the sentence. The closest terms have priority to a relationship in most instances.
Look at how the terms are placed in the sentence. The closest terms have priority to a relationship in most instances.
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