Is 'who' missing?

Question

North Korea says it has arrested a suspect it alleges was planning a terrorist mission against leader Kim Jong Il, backed by a South Korean intelligence organ.Is 'who' missing before 'it alleges was....'?Thanks.

Yoong Liat · Accepted Answer

LiveinjapanNorth Korea says it has arrested a suspect it alleges was planning a terrorist mission against leader Kim Jong Il, backed by a South Korean intelligence organ.

Is 'who' missing before 'it alleges was..'?

Thanks.

Why do you think 'who' is missing? Is it 'organisation' or 'organ'?

CalifJim · Answer

LiveinjapanIs 'who' missing before 'it alleges was..'?

Yes and no. It is implied. You could also say that "that" is missing.

North Korea arrested a suspect [who / that] (it alleges) was planning a mission ...

When you have a short intervening clause like it alleges, they say, he claimed, we thought, etc., the relative pronoun (who, which, that) can be omitted.

Senator Simpson was the candidate we thought would win the election.
Mr. Lucent promoted the use of the invention he claimed he had invented.
For our project we selected only those materials the teachers felt were the best.
The committee approved the measure it believed could most easily be implemented.
Halley's account of the phenomenon was the explanation the experts least expected the public would understand.

CJ

Liveinjapan · Answer

Thanks so much, YL and CJ.

It is really great to know! (I didn't know that)

CalifJimWhen you have a short intervening clause like it alleges, they say, he claimed, we thought, etc., the relative pronoun (who, which, that) can be omitted.

You mean 'even the relative pronoun works as a subject of a clause' like three of your sentences below, right?

CalifJimSenator Simpson was the candidate that (we thought) would win the election.
For our project we selected only those materials that (the teachers felt) were the best.
The committee approved the measure that (it believed) could most easily be implemented.

Those three 'that's refer to what are placed before them (the candidate, those materials, the measure), right?

But if a relative pronoun(?) is 'what', then you cannot omit it right? (may be it's different to the topic)

e.g. from the same article:

North Korea sharply criticized South Korea for taking part in what it says are inexcusable and evil tactics.

NHK's correspondent in Beijing says North Korea may try to strengthen its confrontational stance toward the South by citing what it says is attempted terrorism.

I know it's a lot to ask but if you have time please help me.

CalifJim · Answer

Liveinjapan
CalifJimWhen you have a short intervening clause like it alleges, they say, he claimed, we thought, etc., the relative pronoun (who, which, that) can be omitted.
You mean 'even the relative pronoun works as a subject of a clause' like three of your sentences below, right?

Yes, that's right.

LiveinjapanBut if a relative pronoun(?) is 'what', then you cannot omit it right? (may be it's different to the topic)

e.g. from the same article:

North Korea sharply criticized South Korea for taking part in what it says are inexcusable and evil tactics.

NHK's correspondent in Beijing says North Korea may try to strengthen its confrontational stance toward the South by citing what it says is attempted terrorism.

These are called "fused relative constructions". They are introduced almost exclusively by the word what, and no, what cannot be omitted. what is a sort of fusion of that and which or that thing which (although it's not always really a 'thing').

... taking part in [what / that which / that 'thing' which] it says are ...
... citing [what / that which / that 'thing' which] it says is ...

CJ

Liveinjapan · Answer

CalifJimfused relative constructions

Thanks a million, CJ!!!

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