Participial clause

Question

Hi,ex1) We did our best, accomplishing nothing.A: Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing.B: We did our best even though we accomplished nothing.ex2) He was reading a newspaper, sipping a cup of coffee.A: While he was reading a newspaper, he was sipping a cup of coffee.B: He was reading a newspaper, while he was sipping a cup of coffee.ex3) He drives his car, wearing sunglasses.A: When he drives his car, he wears sunglasses.B: He drives his car, when he wears sunglasses.Can A's and B's be used interchangeably as a counterpart for the participial construction?I'd appreciate your help.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

ex1) We did our best, accomplishing nothing.

A: Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing.
B: We did our best even though we accomplished nothing.

I'm inclined to see A as the meaning, but B may be possible.
Context would be needed to disambiguate.

ex2) He was reading a newspaper, sipping a cup of coffee.

A: While he was reading a newspaper, he was sipping a cup of coffee.
B: He was reading a newspaper, while he was sipping a cup of coffee.

The actions were simultaneous, so it doesn't matter which order you use in your paraphrase.
The 'while' is really close to an 'and'.

ex3) He drives his car, wearing sunglasses.

A: When he drives his car, he wears sunglasses.
B: He drives his car, when he wears sunglasses.

I'm inclined to see only A as the meaning. It's highly implausible that his wearing of sunglasses causes him to drive his car, which is (sort of) what B is saying.

In this case I would not even use a comma in the original because the two actions are so closely related. "wearing sunglasses" is practically an adverb of manner telling us how he drives, in what state he drives.

CJ

Dimsumexpress · Answer

jooneyWe did our best, accomplishing nothing.

It doesn't sound right to me. If the literal meaning was: Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing. the better version is "Having tried /done our best, we still couldn't accomplished anything.."

Jooney · Answer

Thank you for your answers, CJ.

What I'm trying to do is to see whether a participial clause is always a reduced form of a subordinate conjunction clause. Almost every English grammar book written by a Korean author suggests that is the crux of the conversion rule. So as for example 1, the rule says "Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing" becomes:

Even though doing our best, we accomplished nothing.

This can be further reduced to

Doing our best, we accomplished nothing.

What are your thoughts on this conversion rule? Do you think this version is closer in meaning to "Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing"? The conversion rule obviously doesn't work for cases like example 3. Correct?

He drives his car wearing sunglasses.

He drives his car when he wears sunglasses.

This gives you the impression that every time he wears sunglasses he drives his car, which is not the intended meaning of "He drives his car wearing sunglasses".

CalifJim · Answer

jooneyWhat I'm trying to do is to see whether a participial clause is always a reduced form of a subordinate conjunction clause.

It's the theoretical construct 'reduced form' here that bothers me. I'm not sure that participial clauses are truly reduced forms of anything. They are separate constructions of their own.

In any case, even if we accept the theory of reduced forms, I can't see how participial clauses can always be reduced forms of subordinate conjunction clauses. There is almost always a paraphrase that gives something close to the meaning of a participial clause, however, so maybe that's what your books are claiming.

jooneySo as for example 1, the rule says "Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing" becomes:Even though doing our best, we accomplished nothing.This can be further reduced toDoing our best, we accomplished nothing.What are your thoughts on this conversion rule?

I don't have a lot of trust in these conversion 'rules'. Sooner or later they'll get you into trouble!

jooneyDo you think this version is closer in meaning to "Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing"?

Yes.

jooneyThe conversion rule obviously doesn't work for cases like example 3. Correct? He drives his car wearing sunglasses.He drives his car when he wears sunglasses.

No. It doesn't work here.

jooneyThis gives you the impression that every time he wears sunglasses he drives his car, which is not the intended meaning of "He drives his car wearing sunglasses".

Precisely.

CJ

Jooney · Answer

Thank you very much for your help, CJ.

There is just one thing that I need your clarification on.

Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing.

Possible paraphrases are as follows:

A: Even though doing our best, we accomplished nothing.
B: Doing our best, we accomplished nothing.
C: We accomplished nothing, doing our best.

Which of the above choices would be considered appropriate as a paraphrase for "Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing."

I'd be grateful if you could help me one more time.

CalifJim · Answer

jooneyEven though we did our best, we accomplished nothing.

Possible paraphrases are as follows:

A: Even though doing our best, we accomplished nothing.
B: Doing our best, we accomplished nothing.
C: We accomplished nothing, doing our best.

Which of the above choices would be considered appropriate as a paraphrase for "Even though we did our best, we accomplished nothing."

A paraphrase is meant to clarify or simplify a statement by expanding upon it. Your three "paraphrases" do the reverse by condensing the information into less easily understood forms.

That said, A comes closest to being a clear equivalent of the original. B isn't as clear. C requires the most mental energy of the reader, asking him to work out a meaning which is not readily seen to be the original statement.

CJ

Jooney · Answer

Thank you very much for your help, CJ.  I appreciate it.<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Participial clause

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