Diagramming "aged"

[TheParser]

Would you kindly Reed-Kellogg:


He died aged 101.


Thank you VERY much.

[Frank Antonson]

Parser,

I have switched to another computer and, for the time being, do not have the program that I used to diagram. I'll have to look into getting it again.

In any case, you certainly have come up with interesting examples of syntax.

I am not sure what I would do with that one. What do YOU think?

Frank

[TheParser]

Parser,

I have switched to another computer and, for the time being, do not have the program that I used to diagram. I'll have to look into getting it again.

In any case, you certainly have come up with interesting examples of syntax.

I am not sure what I would do with that one. What do YOU think?

Frank

Thank you for your kind note.

Well, "aged" is a participle being used as an adjective, so I guess

it refers to the subject. On the other hand, it is equivalent to

"at the age of 101." So I guess it could modify either the subject or

the verb. (One grammarian -- IF I understood him correctly -- says that

an adjective may occasionally modify a verb. He gives this example:

He was drowned bathing in the river. He says this = He was drowned

while he was bathing in the river. Yes, "bathing" obviously refers to

"he," but -- as the GREAT George O. Curme points out -- it also has

connections to "was drowned.") Oh, I just remembered: our two

other heroes (House and Harman) say that if there is no comma, then

a participle belongs to the predicate -- not the subject. Wow! While

talking about this, I may (MAY) have hit upon the answer. What say

you?


James

[Frank Antonson]

This may be a cop out, but I think that I would treat the sentence as if it read "He died very violently." Both "aged" and "101" could be said to answer "how". By that thinking, "101" modifies " aged" and "aged" modifies "died".

I must get a way to Reed-Kellogg. I feel silly without it.

Have YOU ever looked into getting " Smart Draw 7 Suite Addition"? I have it on two of my computers, but one I had to leave in school (I am retired) and the other I am not currently using.

[TheParser]

This may be a cop out, but I think that I would treat the sentence as if it read "He died very violently." Both "aged" and "101" could be said to answer "how". By that thinking, "101" modifies " aged" and "aged" modifies "died".

I must get a way to Reed-Kellogg. I feel silly without it.

Have YOU ever looked into getting " Smart Draw 7 Suite Addition"? I have it on two of my computers, but one I had to leave in school (I am retired) and the other I am not currently using.

Perfect!!!


(1) "Aged" modifies "died."

(2) "101" is short for "101 years," which our two heroes (House and

Harman) would call an adverbial objective (a noun that modifies a verb. The verb in this case being the participle "aged").



(3) Oh, you have retired, have you!!! I have two thoughts about that:

* Happy retirement. I hope that your state pays you a decent pension.

(Everyone in our country is beating up on teachers --instead of the

real problem: students who won't study or behave themselves.)

* The students at your school are the real losers. They are missing

one of the best teachers ever!!! (Any teacher who likes Reed-Kellogg

must be great!!!)


Sincerely,


James

[Frank Antonson]

Thanks, James.

I have the satisfaction to know that the teacher who will follow me intends to teach Reed-Kellogg. She will probably be better at it than I was.

Also, the Latin/French teacher who gets her (and formerly my) students in ninth grade (I taught eighth) has recently become a convert. He is a truly brilliant man.

My state, Pennsylvania, treats retirees very well. I will be fine. One thing that might interest you is that I intend to teach my entire course "Humanities/Language" (I won't call it that) one more time -- online, for free (perhaps on Youtube).

Thanks for your interest.

Frank