Non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase

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Hi,I have been searching a non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase in all my English textbooks, workbooks, Grammar Books, but in vain.Do you have such examples written by any grammarians?Would you like to share with us? Thanks a lot

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

My previous sentence is wrong; the corrected one is as follow:

I have been searching all my English textbooks, workbooks, Grammar Books for a non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase, but in vain.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Sorry, I don't understand this term: non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase.
Do you mean reduced clause, or adverbial clause? What is an absolute phrase? I have never heard of them.

Anonymous · Answer

dimsumexpressSorry, I don't understand this term: non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase.Do you mean reduced clause, or adverbial clause? What is an absolute phrase? I have never heard of them.

concessive clause:

a clause, often beginning with 'though' or 'although', which expresses an idea that suggests the opposite of the main part of the sentence

The sentence 'Although he's quiet, he's not shy' begins with a concessive clause.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousDo you have such examples written by any grammarians?

No, but I can give you examples. Let me know if that's good enough or if you're not interested.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, please do. I am eager to see your examples.

Thank you in advance.

BillJ · Answer

AnonymousI have been searching a non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase in all my English textbooks, workbooks, Grammar Books, but in vain.
Do you have such examples written by any grammarians?

A subordinate concessive clause (or 'adjunct of concession') typically means that the truth of the subordinate clause might lead you to expect that the matrix clause would be false, although in fact the truth of the subordinate clause does not detract from the truth of the matrix clause, hence 'concessive':

(i) "Alice doesn't speak French although she grew up in Paris".

(ii) "Although he's rich, he lives very poorly".

In (i), the fact that Alice grew up in Paris might well lead you to expect that she would have learnt to speak French, but in fact she doesn't. In (ii) the fact that he's rich might lead you to believe that he would live comfortably, whereas he actually lives very poorly.

An absolute phrase is another name for an 'absolutive clausal adjunct'. This kind of non-finite clause, as its name implies, is a participial clause functioning as an adjunct in clause structure. It is understood as if it were a 'tensed' clause beginning with "since" or "because" or "in view of the fact that":

"Our situation being hopeless, we surrendered".

"A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed".

From those two examples, you can see that the absolutive clausal adjuncts sit somewhat remote to the main clause, rather than being tightly integrated into the structure - they don't actually modify the main clause verb.

BillJ

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousnon-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase

I assumed you wanted examples of non-finite concessive clauses or non-finite concessive absolute phrases/clauses.

Despite the weather being so bad, we went out anyway.
For all the commotion going on, the captain remained remarkably calm.
While frightened by the storm, the children were so tired they fell asleep quickly.
Though courting disaster, Karen balanced all that expensive glassware on her head and danced.
The enemy advancing, we nonetheless stood our ground.
The water much too cold for swimming, we plunged in even so, fools that we were.

CJ

Non-finite concessive clause or absolute phrase

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