That (demonstrative pronoun or conjunction)

Question

I am very far from disapproving the study of a language in which men like Horace and Tactius wrote: such study is absolutely necessary in order to know their admirable works, but I believe we should limit ourselves to understanding them, and that time spent composing in Latin is time wasted. This time would be better spent in learning the principles of our language.

Is that a demonstrative pronoun or conjunction?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

sitifanIs that a demonstrative pronoun or conjunction?

Conjunction.

CJ

Sitifan · Answer

1. Time spent composing in Latin is time wasted.

2. Time spent in composing in Latin is time wasted.

3. This time would be better spent learning the principles of our language.

4. This time would be better spent in learning the principles of our language.

5. He spends a lot of time entertaining friends.

6. He spends a lot of time in entertaining friends.

Which of the above sentences is not acceptable?

Anonymous · Answer

Hi. Does that mean the sentence has two conjunctions, "that" and "and"?

CalifJim · Answer

sitifanWhich of the above sentences is not acceptable?

None is unacceptable. spend is connected with the -ing word with optional in. As far as my personal usage is concerned, I leave it out more than I keep it.

CJ

Sitifan · Answer

CalifJim
sitifanIs that a demonstrative pronoun or conjunction?
Conjunction.

CJ

Is it possible that that is a demonstrative adjective here?

CalifJim · Answer

sitifanIs it possible that that is a demonstrative adjective here?

I took your original question to mean this, even though technically adjective is the correct term, as you say.

It is theoretically possible syntactically.

Semantically it makes little sense to me because the tendency to choose the conjunction interpretation is so much stronger. I doubt that any native speaker would mistakenly take that as a demonstrative adjective in that context. It requires too much in the way of mental gymnastics to "hear it that way"; whereas it's quite easy to "hear it" as a conjunction.

The same thing happens whenever that occurs after a verb and before a noun that needs no article. There's always some ambiguity, but it is almost always resolved by considering that a conjunction.

She said that beauty is only skin deep.
They promised that sand would be delivered the next day.
His father always thought that money the family spent on movies was a big waste.

If a demonstrative adjective reading is desired, two that's will usually be written; the first is the conjunction; the second, the demonstrative adjective.

His father always thought that that money the family spent on movies was a big waste.

CJ

That (demonstrative pronoun or conjunction)

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