Quote:
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Originally Posted by M56 Also, maybe a bit of semantic ellipsis is going on here:
Whatever "it" that you need explaining <done/carried out on>.
I need this door oiling.
I need oiling <done/carried out> on this door. |
I like your analysis.
Ellipsis, yes, but as Temico points out, the result is ungrammatical. "oiling", a present participle, is used to describe what needs
to be done on the door. 'to be done' is a linking structure, wherein the past participle 'done' functions as a predicate adjective: (
to be is often omitted)
I need this door
to be oiled ~ I need this door
oiled.
I need this door
to be done ~ I need this door
done.
I need this project
to be carried out ~ I need this project
carried out.
I need it
to be explained ~ I need it
explained.
If we replace the past participles above with present participles, the result is ungrammatical. The verb's object is described as carrying out an event:
*I need this door (to be)
oiling. (this door needs to be oiling something)
*I need this door (to be)
doing. (this door needs to be doing something)
*I need this project (to be)
carring out. (this project needs to be . . .)
*I need whatever (to be)
explaining. (whatever needs to be explaining something)
The nouns 'door', 'project', and 'whatever' function as the direct object of the verb "need", as well as the subject of "the verb" 'to be -ing'. The present participles 'oiling', 'doing', 'carring out', and 'explaining' function as part of the linking "verb". That structure is different from our original example's structure:
[1] Present Participle Structure
subject + verb + object +
verb (to be +
ing) *I need whatever explaining.
=> 'whatever' functions as the object of 'need'
=> If 'whatever' functions as an adjective modifying the gerund 'explaining', the sentence is somewhat grammatical; e.g., I need
whatever explaining you can offer. (I need
this kind of explaining.)
[2] Gerund Structure
subject + verb + object +
noun (gerund) I need explaining for whatever.
=> 'explaining' functions as the object of 'need'. It's a gerund, a noun, as tdol mentioned. 'whatever' also functions as a noun, as the object of the preposition 'for'. If we
cleft the gerund structure, the result is a familiar one:
You need explaining (for) whatever. 
(for) Whatever it is you need explaining. Whatever it is you need explaining (for)
.