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Warp wrote:
> Doctor John <doc### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>> Warp wrote:
>>> "The car which has its windows rolled down's parked there."
>>>
>>> The subject is 'car', and the verb is very far away from it, and
>>> contracted with a completely unrelated word. Feels even more awkward.
>>> When contracted, the verb looks like it's related to 'down', but of
>>> course it isn't. It's related to 'car'.
>>>
>
>> This should, of course, be written 'The car, which has its windows
>> rolled down, is parked there'.
>> Now do you see why you can't contract 'is' in this case?
>
> My point, exactly. :)
>
> One could think of it as "the rest, of it, is easy" in the same way,
> but of course commas are usually not used in these types of short
> expressions, while they make sense if you think about it.
>
Hmmm. I see your point. I think I have been speaking and writing English
for so long that I no longer have to even think about the grammar and
syntax. (Maybe it's become a spinal reflex ;-) )
John
--
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.
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