What is this called ?

[Ryonan]

Hello,
I recently across this problem, i didn't know about it before :
1."Rich as he was, he feels unhappy"
The sentence is ok, but i were considered to be wrong by using
2."He is rich, he feels unhappy"
Why the sentence 1 is correct, whereas the second is wrong
thanks

[zeyarag]

I am not a English teacher. But, here is what I think.

The first one is correct because the two concepts of richness and unhappiness are intrinsically linked - although there is no conjunction.

But, in the second, the two concepts (clauses) are disconnetced.

You can put the conjunction "but" to make the sentence meaningful.
"He is rich, but he feels unhappy."

[Raymott]

Hello,
I recently across this problem, i didn't know about it before :
1."Rich as he was, he feels unhappy"
The sentence is ok, but i were considered to be wrong by using
2."He is rich, he feels unhappy"
Why the sentence 1 is correct, whereas the second is wrong
thanks

zeyarag is correct.
Furthermore, 2. is wrong because it tries to join two sentences with a comma. You can't do that in English.
I believe 1. should be either:
"Rich as he is, he feels unhappy" OR
"Rich as he was, he felt unhappy"
Rich as he is ... = Rich though he is ... = Even though he is rich ...

[wmuench]

Hello,
I recently across this problem, i didn't know about it before :
1."Rich as he was, he feels unhappy"
The sentence is ok, but i were considered to be wrong by using
2."He is rich, he feels unhappy"
Why the sentence 1 is correct, whereas the second is wrong
thanks

Ryonan,


A complete sentence has to have a subject and a verb, and the verb has to be a 'finite'.

You have two complete thoughts (sentences) here and they can be joined either with a semi-colon (;) or a coordinating conjunction or a conjunctive adverb (connecting words).

So, "He is rich, he feels unhappy" could be:

1) "He is rich; he feels unhappy" or

2) "He is rich, (yet/but/nevertheless/however) he feels unhappy"

'Yet' + 'but' are coordinating conjunctions and 'nevertheless' + 'however' are conjunctive adverbs.

I am not a teacher.

[Raymott]

"He is rich; he feels unhappy"

I'd say that even this is doubtful as a good English sentence. It follows the syntactic rules, but there is a no semantic link, such as would occur in "He is rich; he is happy". This latter sentence implies that he is rich and happy (two normally positive attributes), or perhaps that he is happy because he is rich.
But there is an unexplained discontinuity in "He is rich; he feels unhappy". The two clauses do not link to form a coherent sentence.
What do you think?

[wmuench]

I'd say that even this is doubtful as a good English sentence. It follows the syntactic rules, but there is a no semantic link, such as would occur in "He is rich; he is happy". This latter sentence implies that he is rich and happy (two normally positive attributes), or perhaps that he is happy because he is rich.
But there is an unexplained discontinuity in "He is rich; he feels unhappy". The two clauses do not link to form a coherent sentence.
What do you think?

Thank you Raymott! You're right, that isn't a good sentence in terms of 'respectable' English. It IS the discontinuity that creates a separation despite a semi-colon as the two ideas oppose each other. My approach was strictly 'clinical' if you will!

[Ryonan]

Thank everyone for clearing my view.
I'm highly appreciate your help.