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Relative Clause. Restrictive relative clauses Non-restrictive relative clauses Choice of relative pronouns. 1. Restrictive relative clauses.
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Relative Clause Restrictive relative clauses Non-restrictive relative clauses Choice of relative pronouns
1. Restrictive relative clauses • A restrictive relative clause gives essential information about the meaning of the antecedent. It forms an integral part of the noun phrase, without which the head cannot be identified as the specific object.
1. Restrictive relative clauses • This kind of clause usually occurs in the following contexts: • a)when the noun head takes a generic indefinite article or a cataphoric definite article, eg: • She was a woman who must be treated decently. • This is the car I bought last year. • b) when the noun head takes such indefinite determiners as “all, any, some. every, no”, eg: • Any man who smokes cigarettes is risking his health. • No visitors who came to Beijing would fail to see the Great Wall.
2. Non-restrictive relative clauses • A non-restrictive relative clause does not restrict the referential meaning of the antecedent. If it is taken away, the antecedent still refers to the same person or thing. • Non-restrictive relative clauses are usually introduced by wh- word, for example, by who(m) or whose for personal reference and by which for non-personal reference, eg: • The chairman, who spoke first, sat on my right. • His speech, which bored everyone, went on and on.
3. Choice of relative pronouns • 1) Choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • 2) Some other problems of usage concerning choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • 3) Choice of relative pronouns in non-restrictive clauses • 4) Ellipsis of relative words
1) Choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • This section is primarily concerned with the choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses functioning as subject, object and prepositional complementation. • a)According to a general rule, who or that may be used as subject of a restrictive clause for personal reference, and which or that for non-personal reference. But usage favours who instead of that as subject for personal reference, and that instead of which as subject for non-personal reference, eg: • He is the man who lives next door to us. • He drives a car that can travel 150 miles an hour.
1) Choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • b)In formal style, whom is used as object in a restrictive clause for personal reference, and which for non-personal reference. In informal style, however, who or that is preferable to whom for personal reference, and that is preferable to which for non-personal reference. As object, who and that are usually ellipted in restrictive clauses, eg: Where is the man (who) / (that) I saw this morning? Where is the book (that) I bought this morning?
1) Choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • c)In formal style, whom is commonly used as prepositional complementation for personal reference, and which for non-personal reference. In informal style, however, a preposition usually takes the end position and then who or that is preferable to whom for personal reference, and that is preferable to which for non-personal reference,eg: These are the boys (who) / (that) I went to school with. The case (that) you are referring to is now closed.
2) Some other problems of usage concerning choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • a) Relative that is normally used as subject complement in an SVC construction or as notional subject of an existential clause for both personal and non-personal reference. In this use, that is usually omitted, and the relative clause introduced by this kind of that is invariably a restrictive clause, eg: He still talks like the man (that) he was ten years ago. This is the fastest train (that) there has ever been.
2) Some other problems of usage concerning choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • b)In specific contexts where relative that may cause ambiguity, it will be necessary to use who(m) for personal reference, and which for non-personal reference, eg: • There were some students at the party who(m) I must shun. On the other hand, if the antecedent is a coordinate noun phrase for both personal and non-personal reference, it will be appropriate to use that instead of who or which,eg: He talked brilliantly about the man and the books that interested him.
2) Some other problems of usage concerning choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • c)When the antecedent is an indefinite pronoun such as all, anything, something, or nothing, the following relative clause usually requires a relative that as subject, and that / zero as object, eg: All that live must die. All (that) I want is peace and quiet.
2) Some other problems of usage concerning choice of relative pronouns in restrictive clauses • d)When the antecedent is composed of a personal head with such determiners as only, all, any, the subject of the following relative clause is more frequently expressed with that than with who,eg: • Any boy that wants to succeed must work hard. • He was the only person that knew all the answers. • e)When the antecedent takes a premodifier in the superlative degree, the following relative clause is normally introduced by that rather than by who or which, eg: • Newton was one of the greatest men that ever lived.
3) Choice of relative pronouns in non-restrictive clauses *As has been pointed out, non-restrictive clauses are normally introduced by wh- word, that is, by who(m) or whose for personal reference and by which / whose for non-personal reference. The antecedent of which may be a clause or part of a clause, eg: • He tried to stand on his hands for five minutes, which--- as you know--- is rather a difficult thing to do. • I have known men far more able than Bowles, but not half so interesting, which is quite a different thing. *Which can also be used to introduce a separate sentence. In that case, which is interchageable with demonstrative pronoun that, eg: • Every bottle of “BUZZ” has been tested in our laboratory. Which / That is why we’re so sure of our guarantee.
4) Ellipsis of relative words a) When a relative pronoun is used as object in the clause, it can be omitted, especially in informal style. Where is the book (that) I bought this morning? b) When relative that is used as subject complement in an SVC construction, it is normally ellipted. He still talks like the man (that) he was ten years ago.
4) Ellipsis of relative words c) When the relative clause appears as part of It is- / That is- / There is- construction, its subject can be omitted, but this this kind of ellipsis only applies to informal style, eg: It isn’t everybody (who) can learn a foreign language so easily. That was his brother (who) just went by. There was someone (who) asked for you, Bill. d) Relative adverbs when, where and why can be omitted when they collocate respectively with the time, the place, and the reason in informal style, eg: I shall never forget the day (when) we first met. The reason (why) he came so early is his own affair.
4) Ellipsis of relative words e) If the antecedent is the place, even the end preposition can also be omitted,eg: That’s the place he stayed when he was in London. f) If the antecedent is the way,“in which” can be omitted,eg: The way (in which) you answered the questions was admirable.
