What is the SUBJECT of this sentence?

Question

If I wrote a sentence:One of the masterworks of Leo Fender, the well-known and admired founder of Fender Musical Instruments Company, the Stratocaster, an electric guitar born in 1954, which employs the detachable-neck construction, contoured body, a tremolo arm and three single-coil pick ups, is a rock music icon.Question:In the proper English grammar, is the entire "One of the masterworks of Leo Fender, the well-known and admired founder of Fender Musical Instruments Company, the Stratocaster, is an electric guitar born in 1954, which employs the detachable-neck construction, contoured body, a tremolo arm and three single-coil pick ups" considered the subject of this sentence?Or could I say only "the Stratocaster" is the subject of this sentence, because all other phrases are, directly or indirectly, just describing "the Stratocaster"?Or something else?Thanks for your input.

Philip · Accepted Answer

I would suggest, if you want stratocaster to obviously be the subject of the sentence, that you begin the sentence with it. This is an example of what I refer to as "too much sentence". It would read much more smoothly if it were divided into two sentences.

Jazzmaster · Answer

PhilipI would suggest, if you want stratocaster to obviously be the subject of the sentence, that you begin the sentence with it. This is an example of what I refer to as "too much sentence". It would read much more smoothly if it were divided into two sentences.

Thanks for your reply.

I hear you. You are absolutely right. This sentence is just a make-up to ask this question. But if I were to write such a sentence, I would put "The Stratocater" up front.

In real life we are presented with sentences like "One of Mark Twain's masterworks, the Adventures of Tom Sawyer ...". Then I wondered which part of the sentence is considered to be the SUBJECT, the whole thing or just a part such as "the Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "the Stratocaster".

That is my question.

Thanks.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Generally speaking, I'd consider the whole thing the grammatical subject.
But you could argue that the 'deep' or 'real' subject is the stratocaster.

Best wishes, Clive.

Jazzmaster · Answer

CliveHi,

Generally speaking, I'd consider the whole thing the grammatical subject.
But you could argue that the 'deep' or 'real' subject is the stratocaster.

Best wishes, Clive.

Thanks Clive.
Your profile picture looks like mine or vice versa. Anyway, I like it.

The whole thing is considered as the grammatical subject. I thought so. When you grammatically classify words in ANY sentence, all words MUST fall in either S, V, O, C, modifier or all that good stuff, no exception.

A single word you search and dig up from all those modifying words can be called "The Real Subject". I like that too.

Thanks, and rock on.

Avangi · Answer

When I was in grammar school, shortly before the birth of the subject instrument, we would have said the subject is "one." Matter of fact, I still think it is. - A.

Edit. One of my favorite Beethoven symphonies, the seventh, has an interesting structural feature.

One of my favorite Beethoven symphonies, an interesting use of sonata form, is the seventh.

Clive, according to your definition, the real subject of my first example would be "the seventh," and the real subject of my second example would be "one." Right? Is this a purely contextual concept?

CalifJim · Answer

I would have said the simple subject is "one". The "full subject" is everything except the last "is a rock music icon", which is the predicate.
CJ

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Edit. One of my favorite Beethoven symphonies, the seventh, has an interesting structural feature.

One of my favorite Beethoven symphonies, an interesting use of sonata form, is the seventh.

Clive, according to your definition, the real subject of my first example would be "the seventh," Yes. Or perhaps 'Beethoven's Seventh Symphony'.

and the real subject of my second example would be "one." Right? Not really. Would you not say that the real subject is still the same thing, as above? ie "the seventh," or perhaps 'Beethoven's Seventh Symphony'.

For example, if I overheard you say your second example above and I asked you, 'What is it you are talking about?', what would you answer? I don't think you'd just answer 'One'.

Is this a purely contextual concept? Yes, I'd say so. I'm not talking about the grammatical subject here, as I think you realize. Perhaps you could call it a matter of linguistic analysis?

When I spoke of 'the real subject', 'the deep subject', I just said that you (meaning some people) could argue that . .. ' I didn't say that I would necessarily want to define these terms or argue in support of them.

Best wishes, Clive

Avangi · Answer

Many thanks, Clive.  You told me exactly what I wanted to know.  It temporarily threw me, as I had never heard of the concept.  I was anticipating great conflicts between the grammatical and the linguistic.   - A.

Jazzmaster · Answer

AvangiWhen I was in grammar school, shortly before the birth of the subject instrument, we would have said the subject is "one." Matter of fact, I still think it is. - A.

Edit. One of my favorite Beethoven symphonies, the seventh, has an interesting structural feature.

One of my favorite Beethoven symphonies, an interesting use of sonata form, is the seventh.

Clive, according to your definition, the real subject of my first example would be "the seventh," and the real subject of my second example would be "one." Right? Is this a purely contextual concept?

Thanks Avangi.

When I read you say "one", I was thinking about "only one word is considered as subject". But I later realized you were saying "one" as in "one of ...".
That is so interesting. I have never heard or thought of that. "One" is the subject and everything else is phrase that modifies "one". I will surely give it a thought.

Thanks again.

Jazzmaster · Answer

CalifJim I would have said the simple subject is "one". The "full subject" is everything except the last "is a rock music icon", which is the predicate.
CJ

Thanks CJ.
Another vote for "one". Hmm, this is beginning to make a lot of sense. Yea, "full subject" should refer to the everything. "is a rock music icon" is supposed to be the main clause of this sentence that contains the verb "is" and the complement "a rock music icon".

Thanks again.

What is the SUBJECT of this sentence?

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