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Usenet Posted 20 years ago
Usage
Misrelated particple?
I wonder whether you would agree that the following sentence contains a misrelated participle.
[nq:1]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, earning them the name ?wetbacks? because they carry everything they own on their backs and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is it? It seems to me that something like "While waiting for the bus, a brick fell on my head", is somehow different in its potential for failing to convey the correct relation.
Any thoughts?
Peter
[nq:1]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, earning them the name ?wetbacks? because they carry everything they own on their backs and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is it? It seems to me that something like "While waiting for the bus, a brick fell on my head", is somehow different in its potential for failing to convey the correct relation.
Any thoughts?
Peter
Top answer
[/nq] [nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... [/nq] [nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ... [/nq] I can't tell if it's the backs or the "everything" which needs to be kept dry.
- [/nq] [nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ...
- [/nq] [nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ...
- [/nq] I can't tell if it's the backs or the "everything" which needs to be kept dry.
- David == replace usenet with the
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4 Answers
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Peter Beattie (Email Removed) had it:
[nq:1]I wonder whether you would agree that the following sentence contains a misrelated participle.[/nq]
[nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
[nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ...
[nq:1]I wonder whether you would agree that the following sentence contains a misrelated participle.[/nq]
[nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
[nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ...
00
[nq:1]I wonder whether you would agree that the following sentence contains a misrelated participle.[/nq]
[nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
[nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ... brick fell on my head", is somehow differe
[nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
[nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ... brick fell on my head", is somehow differe
00
[nq:1]I wonder whether you would agree that the following sentence contains a misrelated participle.[/nq]
[nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
[nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ... bus, a brick fell on my head", is somehow
[nq:2]Many illegal immigrants cross the border via the Rio Grande, ... and try to keep it dry while crossing the river.[/nq]
[nq:1]While maybe not brilliant, the sentence is, as far as I can tell, not exactly of the garden-path variety, is ... bus, a brick fell on my head", is somehow
00
[nq:1]It seems to me that something like "While waiting for the bus, a brick fell on my head", is somehow different in its potential for failing to convey the correct relation. Any thoughts?[/nq]
Perhaps a better example would be the answer to the question that followed the above anecdote:
Did you catch it?
Perhaps a better example would be the answer to the question that followed the above anecdote:
Did you catch it?
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