Ways in which

Question

Interpersonal communication is fragile?in part because of its complexity and in part because it's a human process, subject to all the failings and problems of fallible people. Chief among these problems are what called barriers or cognitive distortions. All barriers discussed here are ways in which your verbal messages describe the world in illogical, distorted, or unscientific ways.
[Source: Reading for Results Ninth Edition by Laraine Flemming]
I'd like to know "subject~" is a participle phrase.
And I'd also like to know if I can replace not "the way in which" but "ways in which" with "how."

GPY · Accepted Answer

park sang joonI'd like to know "subject~" is a participle phrase.

I don't see any participle there.

park sang joonAnd I'd also like to know if I can replace not "the way in which" but "ways in which" with "how."

No. At least, not here.

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonsubject to

A compound preposition, I'd say. "subject" is neither a present participle nor a past participle of any verb, so it can't be the beginning of a participle phrase.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, GPY and Mr.Jim for your very valuable answer.

I'm so sorry; I fully misunderstood the structure.

I think the clause of "subject" shares "interpersonal communication is" from the clause "interpersonal communication is fragile."
And I'd like to know this time if my thought is right.

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonI think the clause of "subject" shares "interpersonal communication is" from the clause "interpersonal communication is fragile."And I'd like to know this time if my thought is right.

Yes and no. ... it's a human process (which is) subject to ... OR ... interpersonal communication is a human process (which is) subject to ...

The direct reference is to "human process", and that points indirectly to "interpersonal communication".

Whenever you have X is Y because it is a Z which ..., essentially X, Y, Z, it, and which all point to the same thing.

CJ

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, Mr.Jim, for your continuing support.

0. Interpersonal communication is fragile?in part because of its complexity and in part because it's a human process, subject to all the failings and problems of fallible people.

I'd also like to know if I can can take it that the above sentence can be rephrased as the following.
But I know #2 has a dangling participle.

1. Interpersonal communication is fragile?in part because of its complexity and in part because it's a human process, (which is) subject to all the failings and problems of fallible people.
2. Interpersonal communication is fragile?in part because of its complexity and in part because it's a human process, (being) subject to all the failings and problems of fallible people.

CalifJim · Answer

park sang joonbecause it's a human process, subject to all the failings and problems of fallible people.

First of all, it shouldn't have that comma, and your rephrasings should not either.

Your first rephrasing is fine, but the second one doesn't exactly capture the same meaning as the original. The second seems to say that if something is subject to failings, etc., then it is a human process. There is something wrong with the logic.

CJ

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