ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Two or Three?

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 09:37:14 GMT

Unlike Mr. Clive, I take the article to be mentioning the two dishes, nian gao and zong zi, and no others. The writer decided to use parentheses for the appositive "glutinous rice wrapped up in reed leaves" because s/he didn't want to use two commas to set off the two sets of phrases that are explaining/mentioning zong zi.

Here,

... and zong zi, glutinous rice wrapped up in reed leaves, another popular delicacy.

By writing like this, the reader would be confused to what "another popular delicacy" is referring to and to avoid that tenuous situation, the writer decided to use parentheses for "glutinuous rice wrapped in reed leaves."

That's my take on the matter and personally, I don't think "another popular delicacy" is necessary or much less needed in the sentence above eventhough the writer thought it is necessary for it to be there.

Re: Two or Three?

Clive — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 14:01:20 GMT

Hi Al,

âIn south China, the favorite and most typical dishes were nian gao, sweet steamed glutinous rice pudding and zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped up in reed leaves), another popular delicacy â. As an English learner, I am a bit confused whether two or three dishes are mentioned in the sentence, even though I am a native Southerner myself. As far as I know, In south China, we have nian gao for the Chinese New Year. zong zi is for the Dragon Boat Festive. And I do not know what âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ is.

My question is, is âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ an appositive modifying ânian gaoâ or another kind of dishes from the grammatical view? another kind of dish If there are two dishes only, there are 3why does âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ have no parentheses like âglutinous rice wrapped up in reed leavesâ ; If there are three, does anyone know what âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ is or in which area of south China it is popular? Sorry, I don't know. However, in the west, the English word glutinous is not an attractive adjective to apply to food. And, can the word âanotherâ in the sentence determine whether there are two or three dishes mentioned? . No. 'another popular delicacy' refers to zong zi

In other words, I read this list as a form of 'the dishes were A, B and C.'

Best wishes, Clive

Two or Three?

Al — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 13:01:36 GMT

Hiï¼all!

A sentence (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-01/20/content_510851.htm) introducing the Chinese New Year reads, âIn south China, the favorite and most typical dishes were nian gao, sweet steamed glutinous rice pudding and zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped up in reed leaves), another popular delicacy â. As an English learner, I am a bit confused whether two or three dishes are mentioned in the sentence, even though I am a native Southerner myself. As far as I know, In south China, we have nian gao for the Chinese New Year. zong zi is for the Dragon Boat Festive. And I do not know what âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ is.

My question is, is âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ an appositive modifying ânian gaoâ or another kind of dishes from the grammatical view? If there are two dishes only, why does âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ have no parentheses like âglutinous rice wrapped up in reed leavesâ ; If there are three, does anyone know what âsweet steamed glutinous rice puddingâ is or in which area of south China it is popular? And, can the word âanotherâ in the sentence determine whether there are two or three dishes mentioned?

Thanks!