for which he was arrested

[navi tasan]

Are these sentences correct?

1) He confessed to what he had done, on which the judge congratulated him.
2) He finished his work, upon which I immediately paid him.
3) He entered the premises illegally, for which he was arrested.
4) He stole the diamond, for which he was arrested.

I wanted to see if the 'sentential which' could be used with prepositions. I think the sentences are correct, but sound old-fashioned.

 

[emsr2d2]

Are these sentences correct?

1) He confessed to what he had done, on for which the judge congratulated him.
2) He finished his work, upon which at which point I immediately paid him.
3) He entered the premises illegally, for which he was arrested.
4) He stole the diamond, for which he was arrested.

I wanted to see if the 'sentential which' could be used with prepositions. I think the sentences are correct, but sound old-fashioned.

See above. They're not necessarily old-fashioned but they're certainly formal.

Where did you see the expression "sentential which"? I've never heard it before and Google yielded no hits for it as a recognised term. (I think this is probably the first time I've seen "sentential" used too!)

 

[Holmes]

Where did you see the expression "sentential which"?

I think Navi may have in mind the use of which as a relative pronoun in a sentential relative clause. You'll find plenty of hits for "sentential relative clause."

1) He confessed to what he had done, on which the judge congratulated him.
2) He finished his work, upon which I immediately paid him.
3) He entered the premises illegally, for which he was arrested.
4) He stole the diamond, for which he was arrested.

Not to increase the formality, but I'd prefer whereupon instead of (up)on which in (1) & (2), and on account of which instead of for which in (3) & (4).

(1') He confessed to what he had done, whereupon the judge congratulated him.
(2') He finished his work, whereupon I immediately paid him.
(3') He entered the premises illegally, on account of which he was arrested.
(4') He stole the diamond, on account of which he was arrested.

Technically, wherefore could be used in (3) & (4), but I can't bring myself to do so.

 

[PaulMatthews]

Are these sentences correct?

1) He confessed to what he had done, on which the judge congratulated him.
2) He finished his work, upon which I immediately paid him.
3) He entered the premises illegally, for which he was arrested.
4) He stole the diamond, for which he was arrested.

I wanted to see if the 'sentential which' could be used with prepositions. I think the sentences are correct, but sound old-fashioned.

I would advise against talking of 'sentential relative clauses', since that suggests the relative clause is a sentence, which it isn’t.

What we have here are relative clauses with a clause as antecedent – a possibility that is found only with the supplementary (non-defining) type.

 

[Piscean]

I would advise against talking of 'sentential relative clauses', since that suggests the relative clause is a sentence, which it isn’t.

The term may not be ideal, but I don't think learners interested in this topic can avoid talking of it when it is used by, among others, Aarts (2011), Carter & McCarthy (2006), Biber et al (1999), Chalker & Weiner (1993), Greenbaum (1996), McArthur (ed) (1992), Quirk et al (1986), and in numerous internet articles.

 

[PaulMatthews]

The term may not be ideal, but I don't think learners interested in this topic can avoid talking of it when it is used by, among others, Aarts (2011), Carter & McCarthy (2006), Biber et al (1999), Chalker & Weiner (1993), Greenbaum (1996), McArthur (ed) (1992), Quirk et al (1986), and in numerous internet articles.

It's worse than "not ideal". It's downright misleading. I reject what the others say.

 

[Piscean]

You are free to choose any term you wish.

 

[Piscean]

Learners not familiar with some of the names I mentioned may be interested to know that they are the (co-)authors/editors of:

Aarts: Oxford Modern English Grammar
Carter & McCarthy: Cambridge Grammar of English
Biber et al: Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English
Chalker & Weiner: The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar
Greenbaum: The Oxford English Grammar
McArthur: The Oxford Companion to the English Language
Quirk et al: A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language

in which they use the term sentential relative clause.

 

[PaulMatthews]

You are free to choose any term you wish.

Well leave it alone, then.

The terms non-defining / supplementary are perfectly adequate.