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Chapter VI SENTENCE CONVERSION |
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Lesson 27 Sentence-Adjective Convertor(S-A CVT): "that", "which", "who(m)", etc.
27-1 [Sentence-Adjective Convertor(S-A CVT): "that"]
A kernel sentence(K-S), with "that" at the head of it, can change into an adjective(A).
(1)a. The fish was caught by John.
b. The fish that ø was caught by John was big.
c. The fish caught by John was big.
Sentence (1a) is an independent sentence. But when you put "that" at the head of it, it becomes an adjective which has the same meaning as the underlined part in (1c).The sentence-adjective convertor(S-A CVT) "that" functions here to convert a kernel sentence(K-S) into an adjective(A). 27-2 [Gap(ø)] Let's see how a kernel sentence(K-S) can be converted into an adjective(A) by the convertor "that".
(2) (the fish) [the fish was caught by John]
The diagram of the noun phrase "the fish that ø was caught by John" in (1b):
(3) (the fish that ø was caught by John)
N
Another example:
(4) The fish that John caught ø was big.
The underlined part is produced in the following manner.
(5) (the fish) [John caught the fish]
Diagram of the noun phrase "the fish that John caught ø" in (4):
(6) (the fish that John caught ø)
N
The underlined parts in (1b) and (4) should be called an adjective clause, which has the following four features.
(i) It has the structrure "N + V", and therefore PRS/PST.
(ii) It is embedded in a sentence(S).
(iii) It functions as an adjective(A).
And the most important fourth one:
(iv) It has a gap, ø. (Equi Rule #3)
The formula is:
(7) that + K-S
In other words, the convertor "that" triggers three operations.
<S-A CVT "that">
Step 1: Put "that" at the head of the kernel sentence(K-S).
Step 2: Identify the same two nouns.
Step 3: Delete the second one.(ø comes out.) (Equi Rule #3)
Notice that the S-A CVT "that" always gives birth to a gap, ø.27-3 [Some Other S-A CVTs: "which","who",etc] Some other sentence-adjective convertors(S-A CVTs) are used for "that".
(i) <which>
The convertor "which" is used for "that" when the noun to be deleted is [-human]. (ø is omitted here.)
(8) The Seine is a big river that/which runs through Paris.
(9) The things that/which he had left in his locker
disappeared.
(10) This is the speeding ticket that/which I got last week.
(ii) <who/whom>
The convertor "who/whom" is used for "that" when the noun to be deleted is [+human].
(11) A friend of mine that/who studies metal fatigue never
travels by air.
(12) The lady that/whom the kidnapper talked to was a
policewoman.
(13) I met a woman that/who I thought was my aunt.
(iii) <whose>
The convertor "whose" is used for "of which" and "of whom".
(14)a. The mountain the top of which is covered with snow is
Mt. Asama.
b. = The mountain whose top is covered with snow is
Mt. Asama.
(15)a. The girl the father of whom is a great scientist likes
mathematics.
b. = The girl whose father is a great scientist likes
mathematics.
These variant convertors are mostly interchangeable with the convertor "that". Exceptions are:
(i) Cases where "that" can not be used.
(16)a. The house in which we once lived is now for sale.
b. *The house in that we once lived is now for sale.
(17)a. The boss under whom I work used to be a heavy smoker.
b. *The boss under that I work used to be a heavy smoker.
(ii) Cases where only "that" can be used.
(18) There is the very girl that/*whom I've been looking for.
(19) That's the last thing that/*which I want to do.
27-4 [Restrictive vs Non-restrictive] Compare the two underlined parts and consider the difference in meaning.
(20)a. The fish which John caught was big.
b. The fish, which John caught, was big.
Sentence (20a) means that John caught a fish and it was big, while sentence (20b) means that the fish was big, and, by the way, John caught it. Sentence (20b) is very close to (21).
(21) The fish -- John caught it -- was big.
The two underlined parts in (20) displays a difference in the degree of embedding or independence. The underlined part in (20a) is generally called a restrictive use, while the underlined part in (20b) is called a non-restrictive use.It is important to note that the convertor "that" has only a restrictive use, while the convertors "which", "who", "whom", "whose" have both restrictive and non-restrictive use.
(22)a. The book which/that I bought yesterday is very
interesting.
b. The book, which/*that I bought yesterday, is very
interesting.
(23)a. The man who/that read the book was quite moved.
b. The man, who/*that read the book, was quite moved.
27-5 [Omission of S-A CVTs] In the restrictive use a convertor sandwiched between two nouns sometimes disappears.
(24)a. The pizza that/which the boy delivered was cold.
b. The pizza ø the boy delivered was cold.
(25)a. The president that/whom we voted for resigned.
b. The president ø we voted for resigned.
However,
(26) *The president for ø we voted resigned.
We should notice that there are technically two kinds of zero(ø)s in (24b) and (25b); optional and obligatory. Sentences (24b) and (25b) should be more strictly written:
(27) The pizza ø1 the boy delivered ø2 was cold.
(28) The president ø1 we voted for ø2 resigned.
The ø1 is optional, while the ø2 is obligatory.27-6 ["the thing which"  "what"] Compare the following three examples.
(29)a. The first question he asked was what I bought in Mexico.
(S-N CVT:"what")
b. I gave him what I bought in Mexico.
("the thing which"
The underlined part in (29a) is derived from the kernel sentence, "I bought something in Mexico", where the sentence-noun convertor(S-N CVT) "what" functions.
(30) (what I bought ø in Mexico)
N
The underlined part in (29b), however, can be rewritten as in (31).
(31) I gave him the thing which I bought ø in Mexico.
The word "what" is the variant form of "the thing" plus the S-A CVT "which/that". Diagram of the relevant part in (29b):
(32) (what I bought ø in Mexico)
N
In some cases it is hard to distinguish them as in (29c). Let's see some more examples of each case.(i) <S-N CVT: "what"> (33) Tell me what your name is. (34) I wonder what happened in the family. (ii) <"the thing which" → "what"> (35) I wore what I liked best. (36) What was a small village five years ago has developed into a huge town. (37) They are all what you call baby boomers. (38) You must do what you said you would. (iii) <ambiguous> (39) I can imagine what she is saying. (40) What he does matches what he says. (41) Things are not always what they look like.27-7 ["in which/that...to" "when/where"] Some other variant forms of S-A CVTs.
(42)a. There are occasions in which we feel like cutting
classes.
b. = There are occasions when we feel like cutting classes.
(43)a. She has always loved the town in which she spent her
childhood.
b. = She has always loved the town where she spent her
childhood.
(44)a. Tell me some specific cases that the rule cannot be
applied to.
b. = Tell me some specific cases where the rule cannot be
applied.
27-8 [Grand Summary] Thus, what I claim in this book is,
Claim I: English has four types of major morphemes(N,A,V,AD)
which are often expanded or converted into another
major morpheme(sometimes into a unit of N+V, or S).
Claim II: There are two types of expansion(EPD + V and EPD + S)
and two types of conversion(CVT + V and CVT + S)
which consist of the following:
(i) <EPD + V>
a) PRS/PST + V
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Step 1: Put "that" at the head of the K-S.
(the fish) [that + the fish was caught by John]
N A
(the fish) 
A (w/ ø)
V
b) PRS/PST + MOD + V |
Copyright(C) 2004 Masaya Oba. All rights reserved. |
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