Relative clause - ambiguity
Hi.
In this sentence "The Dutch husband of Shamima Begum, who joined the Islamic State group in Syria in 2015 aged 15, has said he wants her to return to the Netherlands with him.", the pronoun "who" could be referring to either "the Dutch husband" or "Shamina Begum" if we didn't know the circumstances. Is that correct? Any easy way how to rephrase it so that it is not ambiguous? Thanks for your opinions.
Top answer
radovan The Dutch husband of Shamima Begum, who Shamina Begum's Dutch husband, who.. Rule: Modifiers must go next to the noun being modified. Except that it sounds as if the wife might not be Dutch.
- radovan The Dutch husband of Shamima Begum, who Shamina Begum's Dutch husband, who..
- Rule: Modifiers must go next to the noun being modified.
- Except that it sounds as if the wife might not be Dutch.
- Check that.
- - "at age 15"
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radovanThe Dutch husband of Shamima Begum, who
Shamina Begum's Dutch husband, who..
Rule: Modifiers must go next to the noun being modified.
Except that it sounds as if the wife might not be Dutch. Check that.
- "at age 15"
0radovanthe pronoun "who" could be referring to either "the Dutch husband" or "Shamina Begum"
Well, yes. Technically. If you don't go by a proximity principle of some kind. But I immediately took the antecedent to be the husband because 'husband' is the head of the noun phrase the Dutch husband of S. B.
I have not seen a study of it, but I su
0
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