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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
I, who...
Is it just me, or do constructions of the form:
"Peter, who is always punctual, was late this morning" "Jane, who always likes to be early, was late this morning" "Is Bob talking about Peter, who is always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about Jane, who always likes to be early?"
Sound just a little awkward when using 1st/2nd per. pronouns:
"You, who are always punctual, were late this morning" "You, who always like to be early, were late this morning" "Is Bob talking about you, who are always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about you, who always like to be early?"
"I, who am always punctual, was late this morning" "I, who always like to be early, was late this morning" "Is Bob talking about me, who am (??) always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about me, who always likes to be early?"
"Peter, who is always punctual, was late this morning" "Jane, who always likes to be early, was late this morning" "Is Bob talking about Peter, who is always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about Jane, who always likes to be early?"
Sound just a little awkward when using 1st/2nd per. pronouns:
"You, who are always punctual, were late this morning" "You, who always like to be early, were late this morning" "Is Bob talking about you, who are always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about you, who always like to be early?"
"I, who am always punctual, was late this morning" "I, who always like to be early, was late this morning" "Is Bob talking about me, who am (??) always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about me, who always likes to be early?"
Top answer
[nq:1]Is it just me, or do constructions of the form: "Peter, who is always punctual, was late this morning" "Jane, ... "[/nq] Yes, they do. I think, though, that it's just because they're a lot less common.
- [nq:1]Is it just me, or do constructions of the form: "Peter, who is always punctual, was late this morning" "Jane, ...
- "[/nq] Yes, they do.
- I think, though, that it's just because they're a lot less common.
- This may be because we generally use relative clauses more often in writing than in speech, and writing is more often about third persons than about first or second ones.
- When we do write the second or first persons, it's usually in the informality of a letter, so we tend towards spoken styles rather than written forms, avoiding the complex sentence.
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2 Answers
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[nq:1]Is it just me, or do constructions of the form: "Peter, who is always punctual, was late this morning" "Jane, ... Bob talking about me, who am (??) always punctual?" "Is Bob talking about me, who always likes to be early?"[/nq]
Yes, they do. I think, though, that it's just because they're a lot less common. This may be because we generally use relative clauses more often in writing than
Yes, they do. I think, though, that it's just because they're a lot less common. This may be because we generally use relative clauses more often in writing than
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[nq:2]Is it just me, or do constructions of the form: ... Bob talking about me, who always likes to be early?"[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, they do. I think, though, that it's just because they're a lot less common. This may be because we ... in the informality of a letter, so we tend towards spoken styles rather than written forms, avoiding the complex sentence.[/nq]
A familiar example in formal dicti
[nq:1]Yes, they do. I think, though, that it's just because they're a lot less common. This may be because we ... in the informality of a letter, so we tend towards spoken styles rather than written forms, avoiding the complex sentence.[/nq]
A familiar example in formal dicti
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