[etni] Fwd: Defining and non-defining
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- To: Etni <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2013 09:47:08 +0200
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sharon Tzur <sharontzu5@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Defining and non-defining
"Can it be said that the same defining relative clause can be also be
non-defining, depending on the context. For example, "The van which I
bought three weeks ago already needs repairs" sounds more like non
defining to me."
My opinion: if you have several vans, then the clause is defining
because you are explaining which of the vans you are talking about. If
you just have one van..then the clause is non-defining. Use
punctuation to make the distinction. If it is non-defining, then the
relative clause must be preceded and followed by commas. Some purists
prefer to use "that" for defining clauses.
What about this "A few friends whom I met at the new
school are coming to the party"?
My opinion: I'm not as sure on this one...I think it sounds like
non-defining...perhaps because I'm bothered by "a few" if used as
defining, but I can't explain why it doesn't ring right to me. For a
defining clause I׳d prefer, "The friends that I met at the new school
are coming to the party." You have many friends and are defining which
of them you are talking about.
If it is non defining, it sounds as if those few friends are the only
ones coming to the party.
To teach the distinction, I use the following:
Teachers that work hard should be well paid.
Teachers, who work hard, should be well paid.
In sentence one you define which teachers should be well paid. In
sentence two, you are saying that all teachers should be well paid,
and adding a comment that they all work hard.
Yours,
Sharon Tzur
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