who is the subject to "regretted"?

Question

I got this sentence from a book, honestly maybe I am over my head. Here is it:

"He was now looking at her with unexpected composure when she'd dreaded that he would push her away from him like a cheap pickup he already was tired of, regretted."

I read it multiple times, but I just couldn't pin down "who" regretted and "what", if there's any, was regretted. Anyone kind enought to help out? Or is "regretted" a participle? I don't know.....I just am trying to analyse the sentence structure from all angles. Thanks a lot.

Raen

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Seems like some sort of misprint. Makes no sense.
CJ

Clive · Answer

Hi,
I view the most likely meaning to be this.

"He was now looking at her with unexpected composure when she'd dreaded that he would push her away from him like a cheap pickup he already was tired of, and (that he) regretted."
Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

.... like a cheap pickup he already was tired of, (and already) regretted (picking up).

Does that help?

Raen · Answer

Thanks to both of you.

To CJ,

This is a book written by an author hailed "New York times best selling author" just like hundred others, so a misprint may not be the case.

Clive
"He was now looking at her with unexpected composure when she'd dreaded that he would push her away from him like a cheap pickup he already was tired of, and (that he) regretted."

Thanks Clive, I would not have picked up on that. So is omission such as this common in writing? What is the rule for it? Would you be kind enough to explain? Thanks a lot.

Raen

Raen · Answer

Yes, it does so greatly. Thank you. Would you also be willing to respond to my question in my previous post regarding omissions? How can someone such as I (or me?!), foreigner learning English as a 2nd language, develope a radar that can detect ommissions like this?

Thanks for your help

Raen

Sunray Shower · Answer

Or, such as myself

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

"He was now looking at her with unexpected composure when she'd dreaded that he would push her away from him like a cheap pickup he already was tired of, regretted."

So is omission such as this common in writing? What is the rule for it? Would you be kind enough to explain? Thanks a lot.

No, it's not what I'd call common in writing. You do hear things like this in informal speech, quite a lot of which consists of incompleted sentences.

So, I wouldn't consider it standard, and I'd wonder if a word like 'and' was accidentally omitted. Or perhaps the writer was just trying to write in a casual manner.

So, there's really no rule involved.

Best wishes, Clive

Raen · Answer

Thanks Clive.

Sunray ShowerNormal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Sunray, I don't think I have a clue what this is.

Raen

CalifJim · Answer

RaenTo CJ,

This is a book written by an author hailed "New York times best selling author" just like hundred others, so a misprint may not be the case.

Got it. After seeing the other responses, I guess I'd go along with those interpretations. It sure is a strange sentence in any case.

CJ

Sunray Shower · Answer

RaenThanks Clive.
Sunray ShowerNormal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Sunray, I don't think I have a clue what this is.

Raen

Oh, never mind that.

It's just that I have kind of embarrassing MS word problem.

[F]

who is the subject to "regretted"?

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