ellipted phrase here?

Question

Hi,Please tell me if the ellipted phrase 'that are" is at play here.The Lord's Prayer seems to sum up the desires which characterize a heart or will that abides (that are???) plugged into the life of the God of love.Is it similar to this?This is a pen (that is) bought yesterday.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Please tell me if the ellipted phrase 'that are" is at play here.

The Lord's Prayer seems to sum up the desires which characterize a heart or will that abides (that are???) plugged into the life of the *** of love.

Is it similar to this?

This is a pen (that is was ) bought yesterday. <<< This is OK.

The first sentence above seems poorly written to me, and it's hard to understand what the intended meaning is. Do you think 'plugged in' is meant refer to 'heart' or to 'will', or perhaps to both? Or even to 'desires'? I don't know.

The casual phrase 'plugged in' does not seem to fit well with the literary tone of the rest of the sentence.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you. It does seem not so clearly written. I don't know what the phrase 'plugged in' refers to either. If I have to make a guess, I think it would be for 'desires'.

You revised my sentence like this:

This is a pen (that is was ) bought yesterday. <<< This is OK.

Anyway, how would we know what is ellipted if 'that is' and 'what was' can be ellipted (forgetting the word 'yesterday')?

The work (that is or that was??) finished by Jane wasn't as good as the work (that is or that was?) finished by Joe.

I think I have learned (if I learned it correctly) that this kind of ellipsis can't be applied when the subordinate clause is modifying a subject.

I think this can be figured out easily by reference:

The work (that was) done by Joe yesterday wasn't submiited to the committee on time and the work (that) finally got submitted was John's.

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Thank you. It does seem not so clearly written. I don't know what the phrase 'plugged in' refers to either. If I have to make a guess, I think it would be for 'desires'.

You revised my sentence like this:

This is a pen (that is was ) bought yesterday. <<< This is OK.

Anyway, how would we know what is ellipted if 'that is' and 'what was' can be ellipted (forgetting the word 'yesterday')? Why do you want to forget 'yesterday'? You wouldn't naturally just say 'This is a pen bought'.

The work (that is or that was??) finished by Jane wasn't as good as the work (that is or that was?) finished by Joe.

'Was' would normally be assumed in a past situatoon like the above. For a present situation, you'd say something like
The work (that is ) being finished by Jane isn't as good as the work (that is ) being finished by Joe.

If you wanted to make a general statement, this would be normally be clear from the context. eg
Jane and Joe make furniture. The work finished by Jane is not as good as the wotrk finished by Joe, so I never buy it.

I think I have learned (if I learned it correctly) that this kind of ellipsis can't be applied when the subordinate clause is modifying a subject.

I think this can be figured out easily by reference:

The work (that was) done by Joe yesterday wasn't submiited to the committee on time andthe work (that) finally got submitted was John's.

The part in red is incorrect grammar. Say something like
The work (that was) done by Joe yesterday wasn't submiited to the committee on time and the work (that was) finally submitted was John's.

Best wishes, Clive

Avangi · Answer

Clive I don't know what the phrase 'plugged in' refers to either. If I have to make a guess, I think it would be for 'desires'.

I think the heart / will abides** (lives by virtue of being) plugged "into" the life. (I couldn't tell if you guys had already settled this.) Seems like an unremarkable idea. - A.

Edit. ** or abides (exists in a state of being) plugged "into" the life.

ellipted phrase here?

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