Stacking in Relative Clauses
Dear Teachers,
1. The one person that I met that really impressed me was John.
2. John, who I met in Cambridge, who really impressed me, always replies to emails.
The author of a grammar book whom I am now reading says that defining clauses like the type in Sentence 1 allows for "stacking". As to sentence 2, such stacking in non-defining clauses is not permissible.
He did not elaborate on his reasons.
Could someone tell me why sentence 2 is wrong?
Top answer
Stacking involves a relative clause combining with its antecedent to form a larger unit which is antecedent for a second relative clause. But supplementary relatives are not modifiers -- unlike integrated relatives, they don't combine with their antecedent to form a larger unit, so they can't serve as antecedent for a second relative.
- Stacking involves a relative clause combining with its antecedent to form a larger unit which is antecedent for a second relative clause.
- But supplementary relatives are not modifiers -- unlike integrated relatives, they don't combine with their antecedent to form a larger unit, so they can't serve as antecedent for a second relative.
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Stacking involves a relative clause combining with its antecedent to form a larger unit which is antecedent for a second relative clause.
But supplementary relatives are not modifiers -- unlike integrated relatives, they don't combine with their antecedent to form a larger unit, so they can't serve as antecedent for a second relative.
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