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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Parsing
Hi,
" Mr Hague told the BBC: "What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime
is the fighting to stop."" [From The Independent.]
1) Is my parsing of the sentence "What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime is the fighting to stop." correct?
What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime - a subject;
is - a verb;
the fighting to stop - a complement.
2) Is the phrase "the fighting to stop" an inversion of the "to stop the fighting" or is there any difference in meaning between them in this context?
Thank you.
" Mr Hague told the BBC: "What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime
is the fighting to stop."" [From The Independent.]
1) Is my parsing of the sentence "What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime is the fighting to stop." correct?
What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime - a subject;
is - a verb;
the fighting to stop - a complement.
2) Is the phrase "the fighting to stop" an inversion of the "to stop the fighting" or is there any difference in meaning between them in this context?
Thank you.
Top answer
It should be: What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime is for the fighting to stop. Your 'subject, verb, complement' analysis is correct. The difference in meaning is slight and not important in this context.
- It should be: What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime is for the fighting to stop.
- Your 'subject, verb, complement' analysis is correct.
- The difference in meaning is slight and not important in this context.
- for the fighting to stop = for there to be an end of the fighting to stop the fighting = for someone/something to put an end to the fighting The agent by which the fighting will stop is left more vague in the first version.
- CJ
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2 Answers
0
It should be: What is needed from the remnants of the Gaddafi regime is for the fighting to stop. Your 'subject, verb, complement' analysis is correct.
The difference in meaning is slight and not important in this context.
for the fighting to stop = for there to be an end of the fighting
to stop the fighting = for someone/something to put an end to the fighting
The difference in meaning is slight and not important in this context.
for the fighting to stop = for there to be an end of the fighting
to stop the fighting = for someone/something to put an end to the fighting
00
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