** Reply to note from Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar              <[log in to unmask]>         Mon, 4 Jun 2001 14:27:23 -0500

Here's another take on those pesky infinitives:

My decision which was for me to leave my job was a wise one.

My decision, which was for me to leave my job, was a wise one.

As you can see, I'm understanding these infinites as relative constructions which can
then be reduced (ellipts again, Michael) by (1) wh/be deletion and the for-to
transformation. We end up with

my decision, to leave my job, was a wise one.
My decision to leave my job was a wise one.

I have a bit of trouble considering the comma marked version an appositive since I
don't feel "To leave my job, my decision," is equivalent to "My decision, to leave my
job . . ." The first sounds like something a person would say when trying to make it
clear he or she was not fired. The second does not carry that sense.





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

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/