Monday 7 November 2022

An Enclosed Structurally Unrelated Clause

Mr Minter, 'Call me Ted', was  a large, untidy, perpetually smiling man with the look of an astute rabbit.
— John Mortimer Rumpole And The Asylum Seekers


One way to analyse the enclosed clause as structurally related is to take the view from below. Because it is realised as its own tone group (TONALITY) and realised by tone concord with what precedes (TONE), the enclosed clause is realised as if it were in non-defining elaborating relationship with the surrounding clause. Such an interpretation, though, requires treating the clause that projected it as ellipsed.