0
Taka Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Using principles
The sentences:
What used the same principles? My book says it's "machinery" because "using" modifies the noun in front. But I think it's Chinese civilization, or the Chinese people (contextually, I know it didn't use the principles, though. I just mean, it should be the subject of "using").
Chinese civilization had two encounters with more complex technology of clock work, yet that did not cause it to adopt the clock, let alone develop all kinds of machinery using the same principles .
What used the same principles? My book says it's "machinery" because "using" modifies the noun in front. But I think it's Chinese civilization, or the Chinese people (contextually, I know it didn't use the principles, though. I just mean, it should be the subject of "using").
Top answer
Some people may consider "using the same principles" ambiguous as to reference. Sometimes "use" is used without an agent, especially in informal contexts: "This machine uses the same principles as that machine". Nevertheless, I find it doubtful that such a stretch of the imagination is really required here.
- Some people may consider "using the same principles" ambiguous as to reference.
- Sometimes "use" is used without an agent, especially in informal contexts: "This machine uses the same principles as that machine".
- Nevertheless, I find it doubtful that such a stretch of the imagination is really required here.
- To me it's obvious that this excerpt is saying that the Chinese people (or civilization) did not develop machinery by means of their (the Chinese) using the same principles (as were used to make clocks).
- " CJ
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
Some people may consider "using the same principles" ambiguous as to reference. Sometimes "use" is used without an agent, especially in informal contexts: "This machine uses the same principles as that machine". Nevertheless, I find it doubtful that such a stretch of the imagination is really required here. To me it's obvious that this excerpt is saying that the Chinese people (or civilizatio
00
Yes! That's exactly what I mean; the subject of "develop" is the Chinese civilization. So if "using" modifies "develop", the subject of "using" is going to be the Chinese civilization, therewith.
Thank you, Jim!
Thank you, Jim!
0
Related Questions