Diagramming "let alone"

[TheParser]

Actually, if you care enough to try, you could probably find me by using a search engine and looking up "competitive sentence diagramming"
Linguist Farmer aka Frank Antonson aka mr.bisse

Thank you so much, Linguist Farmer, for being so helpful and conscientious. I am not in a position at present to try finding you, but I did want to thank you SO much for answering my question. As a new member, I'm grateful to members like you who work so hard to help fellow lovers of the magnificent English language.

[Kondorosi]

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/an...tml#post544501

[TheParser]

THANKS a million!!!! Trying to diagram that was driving me crazy. Thanks to you, I now have more self-confidence in my ability to diagram.

[Kondorosi]

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/an...tml#post544501

[Frank Antonson]

Kondorosi,
I like your diagram. I would like to learn how to use that system. Here is another take on the sentence though. I think the comma is misplaced and should set the "let alone" off as an interjection with the conjunction "or" understood?. The justification for this is that that interjection could be placed in various spots (though not just anywhere in the whole sentence).
Actually, I think I like your analysis better -- just never thought of "let alone" as a conjunction but rather as a little command.
I would diagram those compound infinitives differently, though, putting them up on standards.
Linguist Farmer

[Frank Antonson]

Well, there is also the problem (for me) that I think of those infinitives as phrases -- not clauses. "This injustice" should have a vertical line before it indicating that it is the direct object of both infinitives.

[Kondorosi]

MY initial concern was that there were two direct object lines resting on the base line. There are no two direct objects in any one main clause. It set alarm bells ringing and suddenly it dawned on me how I could dispel my worries. I proceeded to draw a second line under the base line and it wiped off the frown of my face.

[Kondorosi]

Well, there is also the problem (for me) that I think of those infinitives as phrases -- not clauses. "This injustice" should have a vertical line before it indicating that it is the direct object of both infinitives.

No, infinitives are non-finite clauses with a covert subject. Even non-finite clauses can be subordinate to main clauses.

[Kondorosi]

[TheParser]

Thanks for putting so much work into this. You have really taught me so much. I also think that the Linguist Farmer has given us something to think about, i .e., perhaps the infinitives should be on so-called "standards." Whenever I have any other sentence that is giving me problems in diagramming, it's nice to know that I can post it at usingenglish, and two great members like you and the Linguist Farmer will be there.