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Hans51 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Hello, teachers. Please help me out again.

Hello, teachers. Here is an interesting question, I think. I have learned that in non-defining relative clauses, we can not omit relative pronouns +be verbs, who, which, etc + is, am, are, etc, but we can see many sentences with those omitted in non-defining relative clauses nowadays, especially in newspapers. For example,

The Silmarillon, now published four years after the death of its author, is an account of the Elder Days, or the First Age of the World.

And then, could you tell me whether it is okay to write or not?

I sent a letter, which was saying that I love you. (there was only one letter I had sent in my life, and we knew each other about it. That's why we do not have to define the letter.)

Or I sent a letter, (which was) saying that I love you.

I know the content of the example is so lame and the context is almost unreal but what I would like to know is if it is okay to omit 'which was' in the sentence or those kinds of sentences are nowadays seen somewhere although it is not standard?

Thank you for helping and sharing your time as always and I would appreciate your help if you could help me with this question. This is a long time question I have not been able to solve. Thank you.
  

Top answer

It is an interesting question. It's never occurred to me before. It seems when you omit the relative pronoun in nonrestrictive clause, you get an appositive.

— RandomGuy

  • It is an interesting question.
  • It's never occurred to me before.
  • It seems when you omit the relative pronoun in nonrestrictive clause, you get an appositive.
  • However, this seems to be possible only when the pronoun is followed by a noun phrase as the subject complement.
  • Mallow, who is a tadpole , lives in Tadpole Pond.
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7 Answers
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It is an interesting question. It's never occurred to me before.

It seems when you omit the relative pronoun in nonrestrictive clause, you get an appositive. However, this seems to be possible only when the pronoun is followed by a noun phrase as the subject complement.

Mallow, who is a tadpole, lives in Tadpole Pond.

The (correct) sentence you p
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Thank you and here is another I would like to share with you if you do not mind.

I sent an email, saying "I love you".

I sent an email and it said "I love you".

We can get rid of 'and' and 'it' and change 'said' to 'saying' there. What do you think?
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Kwang Hee HanWe can get rid of 'and' and 'it' and change 'said' to 'saying' there. What do you think?
Yes, but lose the comma. You might also want to add an indirect object.


I sent you an e-mail saying "I love you."
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Thank you and I totally agree with you, but I saw a sentence using a comma there and I think it is also possible if there is only one letter already defined by the speakers and listeners by the context. And come to think of it, if there were only one friend to me, I could say I have a friend, who speaks English. I know it is so unreal but let's expand our imaginations to the farthest. I can't wait
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Kwang Hee HanI can't wait to hear from you.
I'm afraid I don't understand the question. Could you please try to rephrase it and provide some examples?
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Sorry about it and my question is whether the structure of 'I have a friend, who speaks English' is okay in some case? And I think it is possible when I have only one friend in my life although the context is so unreal. Thank you for sharing your time.
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Kwang Hee HanAnd I think it is possible when I have only one friend in my lifee.
Could be. Few people would register that distinction, though. Here is a similar case:

My friend, Turbo, lives in Highfort. (one friend)
My friend Turbo lives in Highfort. (more than one friend)
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