What is ??appositive clause??

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CalifJim

#343440 Sun, 25 Mar 07 11:05 PM

Well, you can't argue with success, so I'll withdraw my objection. Smile [:)]

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (16,533)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Clauses

Anonymous

#384392 Tue, 26 Jun 07 11:38 AM

To me the list of Paco is quite convincing, except from 'proof'.

Because 'proof' is not an abstract concept. I mean, 'the proof that they are spies'. The proof is not 'that they are spies', but could be any document or a something very material and not abstract.

Can anyone confirm that still what follows 'proof' is second appositive?

Thanks,

Learner

Anonymous

Clauses

Anonymous

#440557 Fri, 09 Nov 07 12:55 PM

The responses might confuse you,because the topic needs a different approach and longer answer.
.Read a clear explanation at http://o wl.english.purdue.edu/owl/printable/596/.

Anonymous

Clauses

Hoa Thai

#440835 Sat, 10 Nov 07 06:07 AM

Hello,

1. "The story (that) I wrote was published".
- 'that' could be omitted and the meaning of the sentence doesn't change.
- if we ask, "Who wrote the story?", the answer is obvious: I wrote.

2. "The story that I had resigned was published."
- 'that' cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence or making it meaningless.
- if we ask, "Who had resigned the story?", people will be confused since "had resigned the story" does not make sense!
- Read this sentence to mean "the story (written) about my resignation was pusblished."

Now, regarding the appostive aspect, I believe both 'that I wrote' and 'that I had resigned' are appositive clauses. By defintion appostive clauses restrict the meaning of the main idea. - 'that I wrote' tells us who the book's author is; 'that I had resigned' tells us what the story is all about.

Have a nice day,
Hoa Thai

EDIT NOTE: My comment on the second sentence is valid (to my limited understanding) only when the verb 'resign' means 'to quit'. However, if the verb means 'to provide signature again according to a contract before the story could be pulished, then the second sentence is similar to the first one.

Hoa Thai

Joined on Mon, Oct 15 2007

Vietnam

Contributing Member (1,100)

Best Regards - Hoa Thai

Clauses, Verbs

Anonymous

#477345 Fri, 15 Feb 08 08:51 PM

that did not help at all

Anonymous

Clauses

CalifJim

#477347 Fri, 15 Feb 08 09:19 PM

Now, regarding the appostive aspect, I believe both 'that I wrote' and 'that I had resigned' are appositive clauses.

In my experience in reading the literature of linguistics the term appositive (that clause) is restricted to content clauses; the term is not typically applied to relative clauses.

That's a good observation about the difference in the use of that in these two types of clauses, by the way. In the content clauses that is a complementizer; in the relative clauses it's a pronoun.

CalifJim

Clauses, Literature, Nouns, Pronouns

CalifJim

#477349 Fri, 15 Feb 08 09:36 PM

The proof is not 'that they are spies', but could be any document or a something very material and not abstract.

True, but that's not the point. that is not a pronoun in the proof that they are spies. That is, that does not substitute in any way for the noun proof.

Contrast:

In the proof that the scientist provided, the scientist provided "that", namely, provided the proof.

In the proof that they are spies, we can't say, they are spies "that", namely, they are spies proof.

________

This is the confirmation that that they are spies is a content clause, that is, an appositive clause.