I agree with Wanda’s
interpretation.
This sort of clause is also what’s
known as an infinitival relative clause, one of the more puzzling structures in
English. We have a relative clause without a subject and one that unlike
most relative clauses does not contain a declarative sentence. Instead,
the verb is in the infinitive. It’s actually a fairly frequent construction,
often with a zero relative marker, as in
A university is an odd place (in which) to
work.
Functionally, I suspect, the reason for
the infinitive instead of the declarative clause is that while the
propositional content of relative clauses is normally presupposed to be true,
in cases like these the clause doesn’t have truth value. That is,
the propositional content of the clause cannot be said to be true or
false. Rather, as so often with infinitive constructions, it’s
irrealis, or unfulfilled.
Herb
From:
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006
8:45 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: function of
infinitive phrase
Jeanne--
Isn't it an
adjective modifying "which"? The "which" refers back
to "one" and so eventually to "place" in my reading of the
sentence.
Wanda Van Goor
Professor
English Department
M3064--Telephone
301-322-0603
301-322-0549
Email: [log in to unmask]
>>> [log in to unmask] 04/04/06 8:29 PM >>>
Can someone help me determine the function of the infinitive
phrase in this sentence about
All of which makes it an extraordinarily stimulating and interesting place, but
an odd one in which to want to wear a candlelight satin Priscilla of Boston
wedding dress with Chantilly lace insets, tapered sleeves and a detachable
modified train.
Jeanne Rodgers
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