Modification

Question

The sense that the present world is in increasing crisis, that the wars and weapons, the waste and pollution, the reforms and revolutions, the exhaustion of resources and the economic crises of contemporary life are signs that today’s world is very different from the past, has led to a sense that the ideals and perceptions, the interpretations and explanations of reality, upon which Americans seem always to have depended no longer apply.

http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/MNGT5590/Robertson.htm

About the part in bold, what do you think it modifies? The economic crisis only? Or the entire items in front as:

The sense that the present world is in increasing crisis, that the wars and weapons, the waste and pollution, the reforms and revolutions, the exhaustion of resources and the economic crises of contemporary life are signs that today’s world is very different from the past, has led to a sense that the ideals and perceptions, the interpretations and explanations of reality, upon which Americans seem always to have depended no longer apply.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

TakaThe economic crisis only?

No. I think it modifies the entire list of items.

CJ

Taka · Answer

Semantically, that may be so. But don't 'the wars of contemporary life', 'the weapon of contemporary life' sound a bit strange? And about 'the pollution of contemporary life', doesn't it sound like contemporary life is the object of pollution? Don't you think it should instead be 'the pollution in contemporary life'?

Jim, could you do me a favor? Could you underline the 'life' as well and change the bold-faced type of 'crisis' to the regular font?

I can't edit it myself.

Thanks,

CalifJim · Answer

TakaBut don't 'the wars of contemporary life', 'the weapon of contemporary life' sound a bit strange? And about 'the pollution of contemporary life', doesn't it sound like contemporary life is the object of pollution? Don't you think it should instead be 'the pollution in contemporary life'?

Yes. You're right about all that. These issues also gave me pause as I tried to form an opinion, but writers aren't perfect, and sometimes we just have to intuit the exact meaning. In my opinion, there's no gain to be had by putting more effort into the analysis of a sentence than the writer put into its composition.

TakaCould you underline the 'life' as well and change the bold-faced type of 'crisis' to the regular font?

I think I've changed it to the format you wanted.

CJ

Taka · Answer

Tell me, Jim, why would you still take it as the modifier of the entire list of items even though grammatically some items don't go well with it?

And just out of interest, how would you rewrite it to make it clearer?

CalifJimI think I've changed it to the format you wanted.

Thank you! I appreciate it.

CalifJim · Answer

Takawhy would you still take it as the modifier of the entire list of items even though grammatically some items don't go well with it?

I think it might be a good exercise for you to speculate on the reasons yourself. What is there about "of contemporary life" that could be interpreted as applying to "war", "weapons", and the other things in that list? What phrase or clause would you substitute for "of contemporary life"? "that we are experiencing in our time"? "that are being seen these days"? Something like that?

CJ

Taka · Answer

OK, Jim. Let me ask this way. Is that modifier 'of contemporary life' really that necessary? If you think it is necessary, why?

Sunsail · Answer

Hi Taka ,
The author tries to put a line between past and contemporary life(today's world).
I think author tries to tell negativity of contemporary life,thinks that past life(uncontemporary life) did not have wars,pollution etc that much as today's world has.

it s a little bit how you perceive contemporary life.it is a criticization. do you think technology helps improve civilization,nature or helps kill them.

"of contemporary life are signs that today’s world is very different from the past"

Kind Regards

CalifJim · Answer

Taka Is that modifier 'of contemporary life' really that necessary?

No. I think the reader can assume that without being told, given the context. Don't you agree? Why not?

CJ

Taka · Answer

CalifJim
Taka Is that modifier 'of contemporary life' really that necessary?
No. I think the reader can assume that without being told, given the context. Don't you agree? Why not?

CJ

Right. As there is 'the present world is in increasing crisis' in front, obviously the wars and weapon and so on are those in the present world. I do agree.

I wonder if the psychology of the author could have been something like this: while he/she was writing those items 'the wars and weapon...', he/she had something specific in mind: those terrible things in the present world. And he/she kept listing those items. And when he/she was almost about to finish his/her list, he/she came up with the last item, as an afterthought, like 'Oh, there is one more thing. Yes, the economic crises of contemporary life!' So actually, the writer didn't have the intention to use the phrase 'of contemporary life' as the modifier of the entire list of items.

Don't you think it's possible, Jim?

CalifJim · Answer

TakaDon't you think it's possible, Jim?

Yes, of course. The scenario you describe is reasonable.

CJ

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