Relative clauses and conjunctions--Experts

Question

a. I saw a similar movie to Jim where all the people die.b. I saw a similar movie to Jim with all the people dying.Do both the above mean that the movie I saw and the movie Jim saw had people dying? Or mine was a similar movie, except all the people died in mine?If they have the former meaning, do these change it to the latter meaning?a. I'm trying to think of a similar movie, but where all the people die.b. I'm trying to think of a simlar movie, but with all the people dying.If they are OK, what does but join? (Doesn't it need to join two relative clauses in the first and two prepositional phrases in the second?)Thanks

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

a. I saw a similar movie to Jim where all the people die.

b. I saw a similar movie to Jim with all the people dying.

Do both the above mean that the movie I saw and the movie Jim saw had people dying? Or mine was a similar movie, except all the people died in mine? Both sentences seem ambiguous to me. If I really wanted clarification, I'd question you about your meaning.

If they have the former meaning, do these change it to the latter meaning?

a. I'm trying to think of a similar movie, but where all the people die.

b. I'm trying to think of a simlar movie, but with all the people dying.

Yes, these are clear. You saw a movie in which all the people didn't die. Now you are trying to think of a simiilar movie with the addendum that everybody dies.

If they are OK, what does but join? (Doesn't it need to join two relative clauses in the first and two prepositional phrases in the second?) Here's how I see it.

a. I'm trying to think of a similar movie, but of a movie where all the people die.

b. I'm trying to think of a simlar movie, but of a movie with all the people dying.

Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

[Y] Great answer, Clive. Thanks.

English 1b3 · Answer

Clive
Here's how I see it.

a. I'm trying to think of a similar movie, but of a movie where all the people die.

b. I'm trying to think of a simlar movie, but of a movie with all the people dying.

I have another question regarding the joining of sentence parts:

I walked home and ran--this can be seen as a reduction of I walked home, and I ran, where 'and' joins two main clauses.

Could you say 'but' is joining two clauses in the sentence I have quoted in this post? Or is it just joining two prepositional phrases? If so, what makes this conjunction join only part of the clause, and not the whole clause?

Thanks

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Clive

“

Here's how I see it.

a. I'm trying to think of a similar movie, but of a movie where all the people die.

b. I'm trying to think of a simlar movie, but of a movie with all the people dying.

”

I have another question regarding the joining of sentence parts:

I walked home and ran--this can be seen as a reduction of I walked home, and I ran, where 'and' joins two main clauses. What doe this mean? Does it mean that you walked some of the distance, and ran some of it?

Could you say 'but' is joining two clauses in the sentence I have quoted in this post?

Or is it just joining two prepositional phrases? That's what I'd say.

If so, what makes this conjunction join only part of the clause, and not the whole clause?

A conjunction by definition connects clauses or words in the same clause.

Clive

Relative clauses and conjunctions--Experts

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