Diagramming Einstein Redux

[Frank Antonson]

Sorry. I still don't have it.

You can DOUBT something, but you can only be DOUBTFUL ABOUT something. I can't get past that in your sentences (subjunctive aside).

"Whether" introduces the idea of a choice. It doesn't seem to make sense to doubt a choice -- unless it be the correct result of a choice.

"Doubtful" and "uncertain" do not quite mean the same thing.

I continue to be puzzled.

 

[corum]

Sorry. I still don't have it.

You can DOUBT something, but you can only be DOUBTFUL ABOUT something. I can't get past that in your sentences (subjunctive aside).

"doubtful" does indeed subcategorize an S-bar. Given your highly reliable native intuitions about sentence well-formedness, I must confess to a genuine puzzlement as to why you are implying that "doubtful whether" does not work.

FYI: doubtful - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online

"Whether" introduces the idea of a choice.

There is an underlying choice in my sentences.

It doesn't seem to make sense to doubt a choice -- unless it be the correct result of a choice.

'I am doubtful' refers to the unsettled state of my mind regarding my trust in the referent of 'he'. Is he right? Or is he not? I am undecided. Making a decision to trust him is a difficult choice to make.

"Doubtful" and "uncertain" do not quite mean the same thing.

Probably, but this is not of issue here either. ;-)

I continue to be puzzled.

The goal of my argument is syntactic in nature. Put aside pragmatics, please!

 

[Frank Antonson]

I'm sort of okay with "It is doubtful whether (or not)...
But I am not okay with "I am doubtful whether...

Not sure why. Maybe I am too old-fashioned with my English for a " Contemporary English Dictionary". For example, I do not accept "As far a the grade..." without including "is concerned".

I agree that we are digressing. Bring me back to earth, and explain how this effects the syntax of the sentence in question.

 

[Frank Antonson]

I meant "as far as a grade (is concerned)...

 

[Frank Antonson]

You know, I may not be smart enough to follow my OWN conversations. I am confused. Can we go "back to basics'?

 

[corum]

Can we go "back to basics'?

I do not know what more I can add to this thread that is useful.

 

[Frank Antonson]

Ibid.