I'm confused here...

Question

Hey guys,I was reading an article at Sky Sport's website and came across a part which I don't understand.For me it is quite confusing and I cannot grasp the meaning. Please see:The sentence reads: "Di Natale is among those now considering his options, with the 34-year-old striker of the opinion that the demands placed on modern footballers are too great." The link to the whole article http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11854/7677607/Di-Natale-ready-to-walk-away.How does the whole sentence read in the wider context? Is this an ill-formed sentence? For me it sounds just clumsy. If it doesn't for you, please paraphrase it somehow.Please advise!MSEDIT: I don't know if the link is working. Just in case: ( - without brackets

Terryxpress · Accepted Answer

What is it about the sentence that sounds 'clumsy'?
And by the way:
I was reading an article at on Sky Sport's website and came across a part ~~which~~ that I don't understand.

MichalS · Answer

Thanks for replying!

Well, I just don't understand the sentence in this wording so I thought there was something wrong with it.

If not, please paraphrase it so I can grasp the meaning.

First of all, shoudln't there be 'their' instead of 'his' in ""Di Natale is among those now considering his options", as he is among some people who are considering their options? Or am I missing something?

Secondly, is the '34-year-old striker' Di Natale, if yes then what is the 'with' earlier.

As you see, I don't understand the construction of the sentence.

By the way, I understand each and every word in it but the whole meaning escapes me...

Thank you,
Michal

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Di Natale is among those now considering his (normally, we would use, "their", but all footballers are male) options =
Paraphrase:

Di Natale is in a group of footballers who are thinking about options (retiring or playing)

with the 34-year-old striker of the opinion that the demands placed on modern footballers are too great.

Paraphrase:

Di Natale, a 34-year-old striker, thinks that the stress is too high.

MichalS · Answer

Hi Alphecca Stars,

Thanks for clarifying the "his" part. I'm almost there as far as the whole sentence is concerned but still I don't think I understand the second part of the sentence in purely syntax terms.

Does the 'with' mean something like "and he is" in the given context? Consider these, please:

1. "Di Natale is among those now considering his options, with him of the opinion that the demands placed on modern footballers are too great."

2."Di Natale is among those now considering his options, being of the opinion that the demands placed on modern footballers are too great."

thanks

ms

Terryxpress · Answer

It seems to me that the full sentence would be:

Di Natale is among those footballers who are now considering....
where 'who' refers back to 'footballers' and hence 'are' and so
...their options.

Di Natale is among those now considering their options

MichalS · Answer

I appreciate your comment.

Thank you both for clarifying the meaning of the sentence! I now get it.

But what I still don't get is how the two parts of the original sentence are joined together in purely grammatical terms. I mean:

a)"Di Natale is among those now considering his options,
b) with the 34-year-old striker of the opinion that the demands placed on modern footballers are too great."

I think that "with" is responsible for me having doubts. I just don't see its function here. But that's the disadvantage of being a non-native speaker, I guess.

MS

AlpheccaStars · Answer

I think that definition #2 or #13 fits the sentence:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/with

2.in some particular relation to (especially implying interaction, company, association, conjunction, or connection): I dealt with the problem. She agreed with me.

13. in affecting the judgment, estimation, or consideration of: Her argument carried a lot of weight with the trustees.

It might help to break down the syntax of the second part
... with the striker (prepositional phrase)
of the opinion (prepositional phrase, modifying "striker")
that ... (relative clause, modifying "opinion")

CalifJim · Answer

MichalSHow does the whole sentence read in the wider context? Is this an ill-formed sentence? For me it sounds just clumsy. If it doesn't for you, please paraphrase it somehow.

MichalS"Di Natale is among those now considering his options, with the 34-year-old striker of the opinion that the demands placed on modern footballers are too great."

It strikes me too as very strange, and in precisely the same place that you mentioned (at the with clause).

It turns out that everything after the comma is an "absolute construction" with "with", and it's missing the usual non-finite verb - in this case, "being".

Di Natale is among ..., with the striker (D.N.) of the opinion ...
~ Di Natale is among ..., with the striker (D.N.) being of the opinion ...
~ Di Natale is among ..., the striker (D.N.) being of the opinion ...
~ Di Natale is among ..., the striker (D.N.) having the opinion ... (Simplest form of the construction.)
~ Di Natale is among ..., and the striker (D.N.) has the opinion ... (Finite clause counterpart.)
~ Di Natale is among ..., and the striker (D.N.) is of the opinion ... (Finite.)

Compare all the different versions:

The mother raccoon climbed the tree, and her pups followed close behind. (Finite.)
The mother raccoon climbed the tree, her pups following close behind. (Non-finite.)
The mother raccoon climbed the tree, with her pups following close behind. (Non-finite with "with".)
The mother raccoon climbed the tree, her pups close behind. (Non-finite, no verb.)
The mother raccoon climbed the tree, with her pups close behind. (Non-finite, no verb, with "with".)

All of the non-finite versions might be called "absolute constructions".

CJ

MichalS · Answer

Jim,

I don't know what to say.... Let me just say "thank you".

This is EXACTLY what I felt disturbed about but I could't seem to put it into words.

Thank you for being so unbelieveably empathic whenever I can't express my thoughts quite clearly.

Michal

I'm confused here...

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions