Word being modified by whose
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I came across the following sentence:
Kiran is Kishore's uncle, whose paternal grandfather has only two children.
I am not clear which person whose is referring to - Kiran or Kishore and why?
syntactic-analysis whose attachment-ambiguity
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
add a comment |
I came across the following sentence:
Kiran is Kishore's uncle, whose paternal grandfather has only two children.
I am not clear which person whose is referring to - Kiran or Kishore and why?
syntactic-analysis whose attachment-ambiguity
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
2
Always the most recent one, by default. Which in this case is uncle. In order for it to modify Kishore, it would have to be "Kishore, whose paternal grandfather" or some such, not "Kishore's uncle, whose...".
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 7 '13 at 10:35
You may find English Language Learners more useful for answering basic English language questions such as this.
– TrevorD
Oct 7 '13 at 13:40
add a comment |
I came across the following sentence:
Kiran is Kishore's uncle, whose paternal grandfather has only two children.
I am not clear which person whose is referring to - Kiran or Kishore and why?
syntactic-analysis whose attachment-ambiguity
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
I came across the following sentence:
Kiran is Kishore's uncle, whose paternal grandfather has only two children.
I am not clear which person whose is referring to - Kiran or Kishore and why?
syntactic-analysis whose attachment-ambiguity
syntactic-analysis whose attachment-ambiguity
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
edited Apr 21 at 16:54
tchrist♦
110k30298479
110k30298479
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
asked Oct 7 '13 at 10:30
SuySuy
4117
4117
2
Always the most recent one, by default. Which in this case is uncle. In order for it to modify Kishore, it would have to be "Kishore, whose paternal grandfather" or some such, not "Kishore's uncle, whose...".
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 7 '13 at 10:35
You may find English Language Learners more useful for answering basic English language questions such as this.
– TrevorD
Oct 7 '13 at 13:40
add a comment |
2
Always the most recent one, by default. Which in this case is uncle. In order for it to modify Kishore, it would have to be "Kishore, whose paternal grandfather" or some such, not "Kishore's uncle, whose...".
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 7 '13 at 10:35
You may find English Language Learners more useful for answering basic English language questions such as this.
– TrevorD
Oct 7 '13 at 13:40
2
2
Always the most recent one, by default. Which in this case is uncle. In order for it to modify Kishore, it would have to be "Kishore, whose paternal grandfather" or some such, not "Kishore's uncle, whose...".
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 7 '13 at 10:35
Always the most recent one, by default. Which in this case is uncle. In order for it to modify Kishore, it would have to be "Kishore, whose paternal grandfather" or some such, not "Kishore's uncle, whose...".
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 7 '13 at 10:35
You may find English Language Learners more useful for answering basic English language questions such as this.
– TrevorD
Oct 7 '13 at 13:40
You may find English Language Learners more useful for answering basic English language questions such as this.
– TrevorD
Oct 7 '13 at 13:40
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
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It refers to Kishore's uncle (last mentioned before the comma), who is precisely Kiran.
In "Kiran is a friend of Kishore's uncle, whose ...", the paternal grandfather would refer to the uncle, without direct relationship with Kiran, or even a stranger.
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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votes
It refers to Kishore's uncle (last mentioned before the comma), who is precisely Kiran.
In "Kiran is a friend of Kishore's uncle, whose ...", the paternal grandfather would refer to the uncle, without direct relationship with Kiran, or even a stranger.
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
add a comment |
It refers to Kishore's uncle (last mentioned before the comma), who is precisely Kiran.
In "Kiran is a friend of Kishore's uncle, whose ...", the paternal grandfather would refer to the uncle, without direct relationship with Kiran, or even a stranger.
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
add a comment |
It refers to Kishore's uncle (last mentioned before the comma), who is precisely Kiran.
In "Kiran is a friend of Kishore's uncle, whose ...", the paternal grandfather would refer to the uncle, without direct relationship with Kiran, or even a stranger.
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
It refers to Kishore's uncle (last mentioned before the comma), who is precisely Kiran.
In "Kiran is a friend of Kishore's uncle, whose ...", the paternal grandfather would refer to the uncle, without direct relationship with Kiran, or even a stranger.
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
edited Oct 7 '13 at 15:44
John Lawler
85.7k6118341
85.7k6118341
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
answered Oct 7 '13 at 11:19
ex-user2728ex-user2728
1,79898
1,79898
add a comment |
add a comment |
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2
Always the most recent one, by default. Which in this case is uncle. In order for it to modify Kishore, it would have to be "Kishore, whose paternal grandfather" or some such, not "Kishore's uncle, whose...".
– RegDwigнt♦
Oct 7 '13 at 10:35
You may find English Language Learners more useful for answering basic English language questions such as this.
– TrevorD
Oct 7 '13 at 13:40