I was the person who posed the original question about nonrestrictive
clauses and phrases perhaps being more significant than restrictive ones
as indicators of maturity in writing.    I don't feel on very firm ground
on this but thought I'd throw it out for discussion.  My basis would be
the idea that mature writing includes more structures and features not
found in speech.  (Katharine Perera writes along these lines in
*Children's Writing and Reading.*)
 
I think one is likely to hear a child say something like this:  "The kid
who took my lunch money is in fifth grade."  On the other hand, he would
be unlikely every to say something with a nonrestrtictive clause like
this: "Fifth graderes, who regularly steal lunch money from us second
graders, should have their own lunchroom."  If this child ever grew up
frame a sentence like that, it would almost certainly be in writing.
 
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                Michael Kischner
                North Seattle Community College
                9600 College Way North
                Seattle, WA 98103
 
                (206) 528-4540    FAX (206) 527 3784
                email [log in to unmask]
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