adverbial

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navi - 28 Sep 2010 08:25 GMT

1-He recited a number of poems he had composed in the presence of the
king.
Can't this sentence have two meaning:

1a-the reciting was done in the presence of the king,
1b-the composing had been done in the presence of the king.

2-He recited a number of poems he had composed for the king.
Can't this sentence have two meaning:

2a-the reciting was done for the king,
2b-the composing had been done for the king.

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Marius Hancu - 28 Sep 2010 08:44 GMT

> 1-He recited a number of poems he had composed in the presence of the
> king.
> Can't this sentence have two meaning:

meanings

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John Lawler - 29 Sep 2010 17:31 GMT

> > 1-He recited a number of poems he had composed in the presence of the
> > king.
> > Can't this sentence have two meaning:
>
> meanings

More attachment ambiguities.
You get them at the ends of
right-branching sentences.
Very very common and useful
for jokes.

-John Lawler http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler
I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out
where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
-- George Carlin

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / September 2010

adverbial