Why he erupted in rage is of no importance.

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Jackson6612  #361517  Mon, 07 May 07 02:55 PM

Why he erupted in rage is of no importance.

In the above sentence Why is an adverb. But what thing is being modified by this adverb? In the above sentence clause 'he erupted in rage' is functioning as a subject.

  
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Mister Micawber  #361525  Mon, 07 May 07 03:09 PM

Although 'why' itself is an adverb, it is used here as (to use Quirk's phrase) a pro-adjunct to introduce the nominal clause ('why he erupted in rage'), all of which together is the subject of the sentence.

  
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CalifJim  #361637  Mon, 07 May 07 07:49 PM
I've never heard of a pro-adjunct, but I've heard of a fused relative, so I would have called it a fused relative.

The reason that he erupted in rage = Why he erupted in rage


Why is the fusion of the reason and that(that is a relative pronoun.)

The analogous structure is

That which he said = What he said

What is the fusion of that and which.  (which is a relative pronoun.)

Fused relatives contain the antecedent and the pronoun within the same word.

Does that make sense?

CJ



  
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CalifJim  #361660  Mon, 07 May 07 08:11 PM
Alternate interpretation?

why he erupted in rage is an indirect question.

1.  I don't know why he erupted in rage.
2.  Why he erupted in rage is of no importance.

Is there any logical reason why this structure should have two different analyses, one for 1, the other for 2 above?

CJ

  
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