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Oranpopo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

a strange use of WHAT

Hi,

I recently read a sentence which made me really confused:

"Today, what little fossil ivory remains comes from Alaska."

Is "remains" here a verb, or a noun? If it is a verb, then the sentence probably means "ivory comes from alaska" ; if it is a noun, then i can't make out what it means.

And what does this "what" mean here??
  

Top answer

Hello Oranpopo, Welcome to EnglishForward! In the sentence "Today, what little fossil ivory remains comes from Alaska" what little fossil ivory remains - it means whatever little fossil ivory remains (in this world, I presume) comes from Alaska.

  • Hello Oranpopo, Welcome to EnglishForward!
  • In the sentence "Today, what little fossil ivory remains comes from Alaska" what little fossil ivory remains - it means whatever little fossil ivory remains (in this world, I presume) comes from Alaska.
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2 Answers
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Hello Oranpopo,

Welcome to EnglishForward!

In the sentence "Today, what little fossil ivory remains comes from Alaska"

what little fossil ivory remains - it means whatever little fossil ivory remains (in this world, I presume) comes from Alaska.
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Hello Oranpopo

To supplement Benita's answer: 'what' in your example is an adjective.

MrP

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