As

Question

The sentences:

The type of listening we would like you to adopt is different. It's listening with nothing on our minds--no interpretation, prejudice, expectation, or anticipation. This type of listening takes place in the free-flowing mode of thought. When we are listening in this way, our thoughts flow gently, and we have the capacity to become touched by life as it is being created in each moment.

About 'as' here, is it:

1: we have the capacity+as it is being created
or
2: become touched+as it is being created ?

Grammatically 'as it is being created' should be a subordinate clause. Then it's #1. Semantically , however, #2 seems more natural to me...

MrPedantic · Accepted Answer

Hello Taka

I would read it as:

'...we have the capacity to become touched by/ life-(as-it-is-)being-created-in-each-moment.'

MrP

Mister Micawber · Answer

No reason that it has to be #1 in order to be subordinated. 'As' = 'while'.

We have the capacity [to become touched by life [as it is created in each moment] ]. It is a finite clause subordinated to the nonfinite clause, the whole of which modifies 'capacity'.

Ah, good morning, MrP.

MrPedantic · Answer

Hello Mister M., a very good morning to you too.

Please ignore my hyphenated burblings, Taka. Mister M's suggestion is much better.

The sense of the sentence is curious. 'We' are regarded as separate from the 'life that is being created in each moment'.

MrP

Taka · Answer

Sorry to ask a stupid question, MM, but when you say 'no reason that it has to be #1", do you mean 'it is not #1'?

Plus, I'm not familiar with the term 'nonfinite clause'. Could you explain about it? Is it a clause without its subject clearly stated in it, or something?

Mister Micawber · Answer

Hi Taka,

I said, 'No reason that it has to be #1 in order to be subordinated' because you said, 'Grammatically "as it is being created" should be a subordinate clause. Then it's #1'. It seemed to me that you were saying that because it is a subordinate clause, it must modify 'capacity'.

To be honest, on second look I may not understand your graphics in either (1) or (2)-- are you suggesting in (1) that the 'as' clause modifies 'capacity' and in (2) that the 'as' clause modifies 'touched'? It is the latter (and not 'life', which I admit tempts me).

You must know nonfinite clauses, Taka-- perhaps under another guise. They may or may not have a subject, and their verb element is an '-ing' or '-ed' form, or an infinitive:

'Taking her hand, I led her gently into the deep end.'
'Her hand covered in slime, she would not release her grip on my ankle.'
'The next thing I did was reach for the oar.'

Taka · Answer

'Grammatically "as it is being created" should be a subordinate clause. Then it's #1'. It seemed to me that you were saying that because it is a subordinate clause, it must modify 'capacity'.

You got it right. Well, strictly, I was saying that if it is a subordinate clause, it should modify the SV, 'we have' , as in this case:

You can use the computer as the need arises.-->You can use+as the needs arises.

We learn here in Japan that 'as...' modifies the sentence in front as in the case above or behind. Or, it modifies the noun in front as in 'United States as we know it'. We don't learn it can modify a nonfinite clause.

But when I read 'we have the capacity to become touched by life as it is being created in each moment', I thought the synchronism lay between 'become touched' and 'it is being created', which didn't fit the golden rule of Japanese texts I had read before. That's why I was confused.

Anyway, now it seems that my interpretation was right, wasn't it?

You must know nonfinite clauses

I know what they are, but I didn't know the specific term for them.

Thank you for the explanation, MM!

As

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