The

Question

I remember someone saying that when it's 'the noun1 and noun2 which/who...', 'which/who...' refers to both noun 1 and 2 whereas when it's 'the noun1 and the noun2 which/who...', the relative pronoun refers to noun2 only.

Is it really always true?

Mr Wordy · Accepted Answer

It doesn't seem likely that "the noun1 and noun2 which/who..." would be used to qualify only noun2, but "the noun1 and the noun2 which/who..." seems more ambiguous, and context -- what makes most sense or seems most likely -- will usually override any supposed rule. In a critical situation I certainly wouldn't want to depend on this rule to disambiguate.

Taka · Answer

Mr Wordy but "the noun1 and the noun2 which/who..." seems more ambiguous, and context -- what makes most sense or seems most likely -- will usually override any supposed rule.

Good! Then would you come up with any examples of 'the noun1 and the noun2 which/who...' in which the relative pronoun refers to both noun1 and 2?

CalifJim · Answer

the man and the woman who got married

CJ

Taka · Answer

CalifJimthe man and the woman who got married

CJ

Exactly. And anything else?

Plus, Jim. Just out of interest, you wouldn't come up with an example of 'the noun1 and noun2 which/who...' in which the relative pronoun refers to noun2 only?

Mr Wordy · Answer

TakaExactly. And anything else?

Well, pretty much any combination that makes sense could be a counterexample.

For example:

"the seas and the oceans which cover our planet"

"the lawyers and the politicians who make our lives a misery"

"the ring and the necklace which I bought for her birthday"

In none of these examples, or countless similar ones, would I think "Aha, the author's repeated 'the', so the clause must apply only to the second noun". Instead I would make the sensible interpretation. I suppose if I was writing these sentences I would tend to omit the second "the", but I would read them fine.

Takayou wouldn't come up with an example of 'the noun1 and noun2 which/who...' in which the relative pronoun refers to noun2 only?

If the clause can't feasibly apply to the first noun then one is forced to conclude that it applies only to the second noun. For example:

"the newspaper and meal that I ate this morning cost me $10"

However, this sentence feels a bit weird to me, and my initial mental picture is of someone eating a newspaper.

Taka · Answer

Good! Thanks, Mr.W!

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