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Cho7712 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
relative pronoun
I've got some question about the usage of relative pronoun.
e.g. The city which I visited last spring was wonderful.
In the restrictive use as exemplified in the above example,
the antecedent is said to be possibly every noun but proper noun.
?And it seems reasonable to question such that; if proper noun can't be the antecedent, why an article 'the' can be possible?
Based on the idea that both of them, proper noun and 'the', have a common property,namely definiteness,
it seems to be highly redundant to state a sentence such as the above example.
? Rather,an indefinite article looks more proper for its newness to the hearer or reader. What about your answer to my thinking?
e.g. The city which I visited last spring was wonderful.
In the restrictive use as exemplified in the above example,
the antecedent is said to be possibly every noun but proper noun.
?And it seems reasonable to question such that; if proper noun can't be the antecedent, why an article 'the' can be possible?
Based on the idea that both of them, proper noun and 'the', have a common property,namely definiteness,
it seems to be highly redundant to state a sentence such as the above example.
? Rather,an indefinite article looks more proper for its newness to the hearer or reader. What about your answer to my thinking?
Top answer
Great question. I, too, am waiting for an expert's opinion. I just wanted to remind you that here in the United States, most teachers suggest that we use "that" for restrictive clauses: The city that I visited last spring was wonderful.
- Great question.
- I, too, am waiting for an expert's opinion.
- I just wanted to remind you that here in the United States, most teachers suggest that we use "that" for restrictive clauses: The city that I visited last spring was wonderful.
- They suggest that we keep "which" for non-restrictive clauses.
- HAVE A NICE DAY!
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22 Answers
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Great question.
I, too, am waiting for an expert's opinion.
I just wanted to remind you that here in the United States, most teachers suggest that we use "that" for restrictive
clauses:
The city that I visited last spring was wonderful.
They suggest that we keep "which" for non-restrictive clauses.
HAVE A NICE DAY!
I, too, am waiting for an expert's opinion.
I just wanted to remind you that here in the United States, most teachers suggest that we use "that" for restrictive
clauses:
The city that I visited last spring was wonderful.
They suggest that we keep "which" for non-restrictive clauses.
HAVE A NICE DAY!
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cho7712 The city which I visited last spring was wonderful.In the restrictive use as exemplified in the above example,the antecedent is said to be possibly every noun but proper noun.The speaker has a certain city in his mind and because of that he uses the definite article. One gets the impression that he visited only one city last spring and this par
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cho7712...as ... in the above example, the antecedentis said to be possiblycan be anyeverynoun but a proper noun. ... if a proper noun can't be the antecedent, why is theanarticle 'the'
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James M just wanted to remind you that here in the United States, most teachers suggest that we use "that" for restrictiveclauses:The city that I visited last spring was wonderful.They suggest that we keep "which" for non-restrictive clauses.The claim that restrictive clauses should not begin with "which" has no basis. Restrictive wh relatives with non-
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BillJThe claim that restrictive clauses should not begin with "which" has no basis.Amen.
(Blame "Microsoft Grammar Checker".)
CJ
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CalifJimProper noun - always implies referential uniqueness - therefore it never needs a restrictive relative clause to make it unique.I'd just add the words "....unless it is preceded by a determiner", to cover examples like this:
"The Sandra who is studying law at Oxford sat next to me at the bar last night".
BillJ
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Hello, CalifJim:
I am most respectfully addressing this to you, for I have been reading your excellent answers for several years.
I have always found you to be kind, patient, and certainly NOT arrogant.
Thus, I most humbly ask you to reconsider your position. I think that we should inform learners that in American
English, most teachers and books do feel that i
I am most respectfully addressing this to you, for I have been reading your excellent answers for several years.
I have always found you to be kind, patient, and certainly NOT arrogant.
Thus, I most humbly ask you to reconsider your position. I think that we should inform learners that in American
English, most teachers and books do feel that i
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BillJI'd just add the words "....unless it is preceded by a determiner"Got it. Thanks.
Sometimes I play fast and loose with the truth so as not to make answers too complex for the OP. One never knows when this pedagogical technique will succeed and when it will backfire.
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Thank you all,
And I find some facts from your helpful answers.
? It is not the definiteness but referential uniqueness to be the criterion in checking on whether the noun(I mean NP) can be the antecendent of the restrictive pronoun or not. (from Calif Jim)
e.g. "The Sandra who is studying law at Oxford sat next to me
at the bar last night". (from Bill
And I find some facts from your helpful answers.
? It is not the definiteness but referential uniqueness to be the criterion in checking on whether the noun(I mean NP) can be the antecendent of the restrictive pronoun or not. (from Calif Jim)
e.g. "The Sandra who is studying law at Oxford sat next to me
at the bar last night". (from Bill
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