** Reply to note from Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar              <[log in to unmask]>         Tue, 5 Jun 2001 14:33:41 -0400

Dick Veit's post got me stewing, largely because I thought it odd that we both seemed right, in
the main, at least. I think I have an explanation. So here goes . . .

I'm going to start with the "basic" sentences that some how have to end as "My decision to leave
my job was wise." There are 3:

(1a) I decided X.
(1b) I decided.
(2) I [ ? should ? ]leave my job.
(3) Z was wise.

Z= somehow, (1) + (2)

Morophology let's me turn "I decided" [both (1a) and (1b)] into 'My decision.'

Embedding  a direct object (1a) or a relative clause (1b) requires turning (2)into a nominal.

I can do that in two ways:

"That" gives me 'that I leave my job,' and
"For-To" gives me 'for me to leave my job.'

AT this point I should observe that the "That" method does not introduce the infinitive, a
feature we do need in the surface structure; however, if, as Dick Veit hinted, we need "should"
in sentence (2), then the 'For-To' method will not work, so the "that" method must be used, and
there will be no infinitive. I guess that means there can be no 'should' in the basement of this
sentence.

So far, then, we can combine (1a) and 2 in two ways:

> I decided that I leave my job.
> I decided [for me] to leave my job. > I decided to leave my job.

Now, morphing "I decided" to "My decision" yields

>My decision that I leave my job . . .
>My decision [for me] to leave my job . . .

And finally, "My decision to leave my job was wise." This method depends on the verbal nature of
"decision." You might note that there can be no commas in this version.

Method 2 depends on "decision's" properties as a noun:

My decision was wise
My decision was [for me] to leave my job.
       which was [for me] to leave my job

My decision to leave my job was wise. --the restrictive reduced relative clause version
My decision,to leave my job, was wise. --the nonrestrictive version.

I think there is agreement that none of the versions create an appositive. I don't believe the
"That" transformation is involved in generating these sentences because the "For-To"
transformation is required to introduce the infinitive. Nevertheless, Dick's suggestion got me
looking at "decision-decide, one of those pesky nominalizations." It creates a situation where
there are two roads to the surface: one of them focuses on the nouniness of 'decision' and the
other focuses on its 'verbiness.'

Oh--do not ask "What is it?"
Let us go and make our visit . .


__________________________
David E. Sawyer, PhD
Chair, Department of English
North Hennepin Community College
Treasurer, Assembly For the Teaching of English Grammar
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[O](763) 424-0832; [H](612) 929-3713

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