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Kane159 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Syntax problem

Hi,

could you please read the following sentence and explain the underlined part to me, please? I'm rather confused because I can see two verbs ("save" and "had seen" -> they're in italics). I would understand the sentence clearly if there wasn't the part "save an old man-servant--a combined gardener and cook". It seems illogical to me here... I can't make head or tail of it.

Thank you in advance!


WHEN Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of 
respectful affection for a fallen monument, the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her 
house, which no one save an old man-servant (a combined gardener and cook) had seen in at least ten 
years

  

Top answer

Hi Kane. Had seen acts as an adjective in your context. had seen is an adjectival phrase for the old man.

— Hrsanei

  • Hi Kane.
  • Had seen acts as an adjective in your context.
  • had seen is an adjectival phrase for the old man.
  • To paraphrase it, it would be like this.
  • An old man servant which had been seen in at least ten years.
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4 Answers
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Hi Kane.

Had seen acts as an adjective in your context. had seen is an adjectival phrase for the old man.

To paraphrase it, it would be like this.

An old man servant which had been seen in at least ten years.

Because the relative pronoun, which, refers to the subject of your sentence( the opld man servant), which and been have been remove
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Hi hrsanei,

thank you for your answer Emotion: smile

But what about the word "save"? How does it function? I'm still puzzled.
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You are very Welcome.

Save is the main verb of your sentence and had been seen is the adjectival phrase for the man.

I agree with you that the sentence is confusing. Maybe others can give better explanation.

Regards
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i guess the word "save" here means except, and the main verb of the sentence is "had seen".

I wish my answer was helpful.

Regards
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