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Cho7712 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
structure
While having reading a text, I got stumped by this line.
“repenting" requires a higher spiritual consciousness than most of us attribute to squirrels.
Looking up the dictionary, it says the verb 'attribute' is transitive.
Then why is the object missing?
And what is the possible paraphrases of this sentence?
* this sentence is suggested as the possible answer for explaining
why the following utterance is nonsense.
"Repent, you squirrel; repent you evil squirrel."
“repenting" requires a higher spiritual consciousness than most of us attribute to squirrels.
Looking up the dictionary, it says the verb 'attribute' is transitive.
Then why is the object missing?
And what is the possible paraphrases of this sentence?
* this sentence is suggested as the possible answer for explaining
why the following utterance is nonsense.
"Repent, you squirrel; repent you evil squirrel."
Top answer
"
- "
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6 Answers
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The verb phrase is "attribute to" and its object is "squirrels."
00
Thank you for the reply.
And it looks still confusing,though.
All the web dictionaries I've searched give the result that the verb attribute is used in as such ; attribute something to something(or someone). Would you let me know more examples including 'attribue to' (as the one chunk)?
Besides that, I have no idea of breaking down the structure of this sentence to get the proper
And it looks still confusing,though.
All the web dictionaries I've searched give the result that the verb attribute is used in as such ; attribute something to something(or someone). Would you let me know more examples including 'attribue to' (as the one chunk)?
Besides that, I have no idea of breaking down the structure of this sentence to get the proper
00
Hi;
Here is your sentence:
“Repenting" requires a higher spiritual consciousness than most of us attribute to squirrels.
To clearly see the pattern "attribute X to Y" , you have to rearrange the clauses a little:
Most of us attribute [a level of spiritual consciousness] [to squirrels] that is lower than the minimum required for repenting.
Rep
Here is your sentence:
“Repenting" requires a higher spiritual consciousness than most of us attribute to squirrels.
To clearly see the pattern "attribute X to Y" , you have to rearrange the clauses a little:
Most of us attribute [a level of spiritual consciousness] [to squirrels] that is lower than the minimum required for repenting.
Rep
00
Thank you for the answer.
Then the object in the main clause and the coordinate clause is the same so that it can be deleted in the latter.
Thank you again for the very specific explanation.
Then the object in the main clause and the coordinate clause is the same so that it can be deleted in the latter.
Thank you again for the very specific explanation.
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cho7712Thank you for the answer.Then the object in the main clause and the coordinate clause is the same so that it can be deleted in the latter.Thank you again for the very specific explanation.Yes.
The expanded dependent cause would be this:
“Repenting" requires a higher spiritual consciousness than [that (level of spiritual consciousness) whic
00
Thank you so much,
I can now view the original structure of this sentence in different ways by your paraphrase.
I can now view the original structure of this sentence in different ways by your paraphrase.
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