The omission of the object of to-infinitve

Question

In today's world, there are still twenty-five ruling monarchs in existence. This simple fact should provoke amazement, since the notion of monarchy has absolutely nothing to recommend it. It's an outdated and corrupt mode of governance.
[Source: Reading for Results Ninth Edition by Laraine Flemming]
I have known when the word previously referred to is used as an object of to-infinitive, we should omit it.
So I was wondering why it keeps its place.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

1. We asked him about good places to eat, but he had nothing to recommend. (He has no ideas about any good restaurants.)

2. The notion of monarchy has absolutely nothing to recommend. (This is nonsense, since notions cannot have ideas and recommend things.)

3. The notion of monarchy has absolutely nothing to recommend it. (This is an idiomatic construction meaning that nobody has any good things to say about monarchies as a form of government. Monarchies have no commendable attributes. )

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, AlpheccaStars, for your so very kind answer.

But I'd ask you one more thing.
Then I'd like to know why we say "This house is too small for us to live in?", not "This house is too small for us to live in it?"

AlpheccaStars · Answer

park sang joon"This house is too small for us to live in.

The complement of a preposition can often be found at the beginning of a clause, especially in questions, relative clauses and cleft sentences.

Aunt Mary is the person you gave the gift to.
The suitcase you packed your clothes in is full.
Who are you going to the game with?

In your first example, there was no preposition.

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joon The omission of the object of to-infinitve ... I ~~have known~~ know that when the word previously referred to is used as an object of to-infinitive, we should omit it.

Let's take a much simpler example.

The guys were looking for some women to entertain. (The guys wanted to entertain some women.)
The guys were looking for some women to entertain them. (The guys wanted some women who would entertain them.)

Note that the addition of the object pronoun "them" in the second sentence blocks the meaning you get in the first sentence.
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Your example works the same way. "nothing to recommend" means that the notion of monarchy recommends nothing. In contrast, "nothing to recommend it" means that nothing recommends the notion of monarchy, which is the intended meaning.

"nothing" is the object of the to-infinitive in "nothing to recommend", but that's not the meaning. To block that meaning you have to give the infinitive its own object and say "nothing to recommend it".

The additional problem you have with your example is that "to have nothing to recommend it" is a standard idiom that means there is nothing good that can be said about it. The usage of the verb "recommend" is somewhat unusual in this expression.

CJ

The omission of the object of to-infinitve

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