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Sky_meat Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
there are a stealing refreshment?
While i was reading a poem by Jone Galsworthy ( winner of 1932 Nobel prize in literature), i came across one sentence : "They are a stealing and silent refreshment that we perhaps do not think about, but which goes on all the time. "
I am just wondering why in that sentence the writter use " a stealing and silent refreshment" after " they are" ? I understand if the sentence was " there is a stealing and silent refreshment.." but now i am confused. Someone please tell me what grammar is uesed here? thanks in advance!
I am just wondering why in that sentence the writter use " a stealing and silent refreshment" after " they are" ? I understand if the sentence was " there is a stealing and silent refreshment.." but now i am confused. Someone please tell me what grammar is uesed here? thanks in advance!
Top answer
"they" refers back to something plural. In poetic style it may even refer forward to something plural, or even to something outside of the poem. Without context you leave us all guessing as much as you.
- "they" refers back to something plural.
- In poetic style it may even refer forward to something plural, or even to something outside of the poem.
- Without context you leave us all guessing as much as you.
- Can you find anything plural which precedes this passage in the poem?
- CJ
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7 Answers
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"they" refers back to something plural. In poetic style it may even refer forward to something plural, or even to something outside of the poem. Without context you leave us all guessing as much as you. Can you find anything plural which precedes this passage in the poem?
CJ
CJ
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Here it is:
A choirboy's voice, a ship in sail, an opening flower, a town at night, the song of the blackbird, a lovely poem, leaf shadows, a child's grace, the starry skies, a cathedral, apple trees in spring, a throughbred horse, sheep-bells on a hill, a rippling stream, a butterfly, the crescent moon--the thousand sights or sounds or words that keep the human spir
A choirboy's voice, a ship in sail, an opening flower, a town at night, the song of the blackbird, a lovely poem, leaf shadows, a child's grace, the starry skies, a cathedral, apple trees in spring, a throughbred horse, sheep-bells on a hill, a rippling stream, a butterfly, the crescent moon--the thousand sights or sounds or words that keep the human spir
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pieanne to the rescue!
Now if that's not plural, I don't know what is!
CJ
Now if that's not plural, I don't know what is!
CJ
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LOL! Neither do I! 
(Hyperplural?)
(maybe there are even too many of them for a stealing refreshment)
(Hyperplural?)(maybe there are even too many of them for a stealing refreshment)
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Thanks pieanne for providing the peom.
But it seems i did not make myself clear. My question is not about thoes things, it is obvious that that is plural. My question is about why the author used " a " after " are" ? From my limited english knowledge, the sentence structure like " there are ..." should be followed by a plural, right? For
But it seems i did not make myself clear. My question is not about thoes things, it is obvious that that is plural. My question is about why the author used " a " after " are" ? From my limited english knowledge, the sentence structure like " there are ..." should be followed by a plural, right? For
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"they" is a completely different word from "there".
"they", which means "those things (or people) mentioned before", is used in the poem, not "there".
When the subject is "they", the verb is plural -- "are" in this case.
So "They are a ..." in the poem is correct.
(Your subject line is incorrect.)
Hope that helps.
"they", which means "those things (or people) mentioned before", is used in the poem, not "there".
When the subject is "they", the verb is plural -- "are" in this case.
So "They are a ..." in the poem is correct.
(Your subject line is incorrect.)
Hope that helps.
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