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Taeioum Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Hold paramount?

While i am studying the engineer ethical code, there is a statement "Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and the protection of both the natural and the ......" In this case, "hold" should be a verb and "paramount" is an adjective. And my question is, Why is the sentence not "Hold paramountly the safety...." or "Hold the paramount safety......"? Or paramount can be used as an adverb?
  

Top answer

"? It's an inversion of a complex-transitive construction — in other words a construction with an object complement. Here's how it works.

— CalifJim

  • "?
  • It's an inversion of a complex-transitive construction — in other words a construction with an object complement.
  • Here's how it works.
  • Let's start with a simpler, uninverted sentence of the same type.
  • Ronald held the dog steady.
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2 Answers
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taeioumWhy is the sentence not "Hold paramountly the safety...." or "Hold the paramount safety......"?
It's an inversion of a complex-transitive construction — in other words a construction with an object complement.

Here's how it works. Let's start with a simpler, uninverted sentence of the same type.

Ronald held the dog steady.
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Thanks for your answer! It helps a lot!
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