I think that this is a very interesting question.  I appreciate your
raising it.  The examples that you provide and a few that I can think of
suggest the generalization that backward pronominalization works when it
occurs in a dependent clause preceding a main clause (Because he is
handsome, I like Jack.) but not in a main clause preceding a subordinate
one.  To me, "I like him because Jack is handsome," means that I like
some unnamed third party because Jack is handsome, as strange as that
causal link sounds.  Delaying the noun until you get past a subordinate
clause to the main clause makes a kind of sense: you are putting the
weightiest element semantically in a grammatically central position.  At
least, that's my stab at answer. Other people on the list will probably
come up with an avalanche of counterexamples.

Dave Mulroy



On Mon, 31 Jul 2000, SIRAISI Tomio wrote:

> The other day, I began to read Francis Iles' "Malice Aforethought".
>
> This classic mystery begins with the following sentence:
>
> It was not until several weeks after he had decided to murder his wife that
> Dr Bickleigh took any steps in the matter. Murder is a serious business.
>
> Here, I have a question.
> Shouldn't it be the following?
>
> It was not until several weeks after DR BICKLEIGH had decided to murder his
> wife that HE took any steps in the matter. Murder is a serious business.
>
> Pronominalization ordering is a problem when I write English.
> When can I write the word order of PRONOUN to NOUN?
>
> The sentences below are the samples:
>
> (1-a) When Tom was young, he was rich.
> (1-b) When he was young, Tom was rich.
> (1-c) He was rich when Tom was young.
> (1-d) Tom was rich when he was young.
>
> (2-a) I like Jack because he is handsome.
> (2-b) I like him because Jack is handsome.
> (2-c) Because he is handsome, I like jack.
> (2-d) Because Jack is handsome, I like him.
>
> (3-a) It is not until you lose health that you realize its importance.
> (3-b) It is not until you lose it that you realize the importance of health.
>
> (4-a) After you lose your membership in it, the younger generation seems
> pretty bad.
> (4-b) After you lose your membership in the younger generation, it seems
> pretty bad.
>
> (5-a) Tom said that he had not murdered his wife.
> (5-b) He said that Tom had not murdered his wife.
>
> Thank you for reading this long mail.
> And I would be grateful for you to give me a reply.
>
> SIRAISI Tomio
>