Anonymous  +  199657 Wed, 22 Feb 06 08:34 AM Non-restrictive relative clauses and restrictive relative clauses are difficult to distinguish. Definitions I have read tell the difference in meaning (semantics?). I haven't found a definition that explains the difference in terms of structure. I have found that many non-restrictive clauses modify proper nouns. A proper noun identifies a person, an organisation, or a thing. There is no need to give more identifying information. When a common noun is modified, a restrictive clause must be used, for the common noun can't give enough information for the reader to get a clear idea of the identity of what the noun represents. In clauses like the following one My sister who went to school in New York came to visit me.  can either be restrrctive or non-restrictive. I'd like to hear your opinions. I'm not sure if this is a reasonable generalisation. More ways to identify non-restrictive clauses would be very helpful. Anonymous Clauses, Nouns

	paco2004  +  199714 Wed, 22 Feb 06 12:24 PM 1. My sister who went to school in New York came to visit me. 2. My sister, who went to school in New York, came to visit me With the sentence #1, it is possible for us to suppose you had other sister(s), who did not go to school in New York. But with the sentence #2, we can negate that sort of possibility. paco paco2004 Joined on Wed, Nov 17 2004 Senior Member 4,095 In Japan today even dogs are learning how to bow-wow in English.

	Wampum  +  199762 Wed, 22 Feb 06 01:35 PM  Paco2004 wrote: 1. My sister who went to school in New York came to visit me. 2. My sister, who went to school in New York, came to visit me With the sentence #1, it is possible for us to suppose you had other sister(s), who did not go to school in New York. But with the sentence #2, we can negate that sort of possibility. paco That's been the tale told, Paco, but I'm afraid it ain't the gospel truth. The only thing that the clause in 2. does is give some added ifo about "my sister". My sister, the one who went to school in New York, came to visit me. Here we see that with the simple addition of 'the one', it clearly shows that there is more than one sister. People have ascribed all sorts of magical powers to these grammatical structures that simply aren't there. You always need a wider context in order to know what's truly what.      Wampum Joined on Fri, Feb 17 2006 New Member 12 Clauses

	paco2004  +  199766 Wed, 22 Feb 06 01:52 PM  Wampum wrote:  Paco2004 wrote: 1. My sister who went to school in New York came to visit me. 2. My sister, who went to school in New York, came to visit me With the sentence #1, it is possible for us to suppose you had other sister(s), who did not go to school in New York. But with the sentence #2, we can negate that sort of possibility. paco That's been the tale told, Paco, but I'm afraid it ain't the gospel truth. The only thing that the clause in 2. does is give some added ifo about "my sister". My sister, the one who went to school in New York, came to visit me. Here we see that with the simple addition of 'the one', it clearly shows that there is more than one sister. People have ascribed all sorts of magical powers to these grammatical structures that simply aren't there. You always need a wider context in order to know what's truly what.      I cannot get your point. "My sister, the one who went to school in New York, came to visit me". Here you use an appositive construction and it means "My sister who is the one who went to school in New York came to visit me". So, with this we can be allowed to imagine you might have another sister. Am I wrong?  paco paco2004 Constructions, Clauses

	Goodman  +  199933 Wed, 22 Feb 06 11:38 PM 1. My sister who went to school in New York came to visit me. 2. My sister, who went to school in New York, came to visit m Hi  folks,   For what is worth, I honestly think these two sentences basically convey the same message with the exception that one has two commas separating the clause from the main sentence which I personally think need not be there. The commas didn’t give any magical meaning but just another spin perhaps. To me, there is only one sister in this context. If there were another sister in the picture, I would simply say” one of my sisters who went to school in N.Y. came to visit me”.     Always have 2 cents to spare Goodman Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005 Senior Member 3,816 The name says it all! Clauses, Commas

	paco2004  +  199957 Thu, 23 Feb 06 12:27 AM I have to admit this pair of sentences are not clear to show the difference between restrictive and non-restrictive sentences. But how about the difference between the pair below?      (R)   I have two American friends who study the Japanese language.     (NR) I have two American friends, who study the Japanese language. paco paco2004 Difference Between

	Goodman  +  199964 Thu, 23 Feb 06 12:44 AM Maybe I am not the brightest bulb with regard to English. I still can't any appreciable difference with a comma! Goodman Regards, Commas

	paco2004  +  199975 Thu, 23 Feb 06 01:11 AM You may hear : "I have two American friends who study Japanese and three who study Chinese". But I have never come across a sentence like: "I have two American friends, who study Japanese, and three, who study Chinese". paco paco2004