From: Stephen Carlson (scc@ropes.reston.icl.com)
Date: Fri Dec 15 1995 - 12:07:26 EST
Ellen Adams wrote:
> >The writers of this English grammar notes that for informal English,
> >the grammatical rule is changing from a case concord rule to a
> >territoriality rule. Basically, pronouns are found either in a
> >"subject territory" (before the verb) or in an "object territory"
> >(after the verb or preposition). Under this analysis, the rule favors
> >"who" in "The Son of Man is the Messiah who Jesus claims to be" because
> >"who" is in subject territory; and "him" in "Jesus claims to be him"
> >because "him" is in object territory.
>
> ??Does that mean we're slowly doing away with predicate nominatives??
Yes. We are slowly becoming like the French and the Louis who said
"L'etat, c'est moi" -- no predicate nominative there (*"L'etat, c'est
je" is a faux-pas.). The territoriality rule seems to govern French
grammar in this respect.
[...]
> Would it be okay if I forwarded them your post? They might appreciate the
> information.
Feel free to send it on.
Stephen Carlson
-- Stephen Carlson : Poetry speaks of aspirations, : ICL, Inc. scc@reston.icl.com : and songs chant the words. : 11490 Commerce Park Dr. (703) 648-3330 : Shujing 2:35 : Reston, VA 22091 USA
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