relative pronouns

Question

all 'that' you want you can have.  why is that sentence not correct when 'that' is substituted for 'which'  as far as i know, when we refer to things they are interchangeable.  please!  incho

Philip · Accepted Answer

Anonymousall 'that' you want you can have.
why is that sentence not correct when 'that' is substituted for 'which'
as far as i know, when we refer to things they are interchangeable.
please!

incho

Someone may come up with a source that differs from my point of view, but to me they are interchangeable. I would use "that" in this case, but I cannot give you a good reason for that preference.

I think that I might use "which" to be more emphatic. "The book that I read last week was really interesting" ----- "The book which I told you to read was very interesting" (but you didn't read it - and it might even be set off by commas in written form to indicate the possible admonition.

Just to add to the confusion, you can write/say the sentence without either.

Kane1989 · Answer

i would use there what instead of which

all what you want you can have

Anonymous · Answer

'all what,' is false
thx anyway
inchoate

Ant_222 · Answer

As I am concerned, «that» is used with a descriptive clause, while «which» — with an indicative one.

«I have a book that was published 1941»
Here a property of the book is emphasized.

«Is «The Elements of Thought» that book about which you told me?»
Here the book itself is in question.

BarbaraPA · Answer

This forum has covered the topic of THAT and WHICH in depth.

That is restrictive and and tells the reader which one you mean. The book that you recommended, All the items that are on the table, the table that has the scratch on the leg, the house that has the pretty fountain.

Which provides additional information and the clause is set off by commas. I've added to the additional information here. The book [which you told me to read, by the way] was very good. All the items [which are still on the table, because the wind didn't blow them off] are for sale. The table [which had a scratch on the leg, but I didn't mind] was only $50.

They are not interchangeable. It may be moving in that direction and in another 20 years the distinction will be gone, but it's still there now.

CalifJim · Answer

That is restrictive and and tells the reader which one you mean. ...
Which provides additional information and the clause is set off by commas.

So it is your contention that which is always non-restrictive and always requires the commas associated with non-restrictive clauses?

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

all 'that' you want you can have.
why is that sentence not correct when 'that' is substituted for 'which'

All which you want you can have is grammatically correct. Who says it is not?

As a matter of actual practice, which is no more than linguistic habit, we almost always prefer to say all that you want (or all you want) instead of all which you want. This has nothing to do with the grammar of that and which and everything to do with speaker preferences. I suspect the same preference exists for that after all indefinite pronouns -- not just all.

CJ

See also the following posts. The last one cited contains a reference to the "dictatorial Yanqui machine" which is particularly amusing.

Anonymous · Answer

Richard Side and Guy Wellman in Grammar and Vocabulary for CAE and CPE.
There is a task which requires you to use one of the relative pronouns:
who, whom, whose, that, which.
They marked 'that' as the only alternative to fill the gap in the sentence in question.

Inchoate

BarbaraPA · Answer

CalifJim
That is restrictive and and tells the reader which one you mean. ...
Which provides additional information and the clause is set off by commas.
So it is your contention that which is always non-restrictive and always requires the commas associated with non-restrictive clauses?

CJ

No, I'm sure there are examples of non-restrictive uses that don't require the commas. But as you know, if it's a "parenthetical comment," it can removed entirely from the sentence, and I would argue that if you can do that, then you DO need commas on either end of the "which phrase." But I know you have a lot more linguistic training than I do, so I'm willing to bet that you have a lot more examples.

And like I said also, I'm pretty sure that the which/that disctinction is going the way of who/whom, and there is not going to be any difference in another couple decades.

Believer · Answer

Thank you.

I am not so sure that this is what CalifJim was trying to get at but with all due respect, let me gingerly ask you this question?

The sentence of yours,

The book [which you told me to read, by the way] was very good.

The part in brackets (???) are not JUST additional information but essential information that gives restrictive meaning to the sentence. Which book? the book you told me to read and thus, should not set off aside as an element (piece) of additional information.

And I am so sure the usage of "that" or "which" is what set the distinction of being restrictive and non-restrictive apart. I think the nature of the phrase/clause that follows is what trully determines the choice.

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