[Grammar] ...societies in which millions spoke the same language.

[Amy Collihole]

Then came civilization and the growth of mass societies.

Then came civilization and the growth of mass societies in which millions spoke the same language.




What type of modifier is being used in the second sentence? What noun is it describing?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Re: Modifiers describing Nouns

Having read the page below, I consider it a defining adjective clause modifying 'societies'.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/490/grammar/defining-adjective-clauses-rules.htm

 

[Spiral]

Re: Modifiers describing Nouns

Then came civilization and the growth of mass societies.

Then came civilization and the growth of mass societies in which millions spoke the same language.




What type of modifier is being used in the second sentence? What noun is it describing?

Having read the page below, I consider it a defining adjective clause modifying 'societies'.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/490/grammar/defining-adjective-clauses-rules.htm

Former English teacher here, so I'll try this.

I agree with Matthew that the underlined portion functions as an adjective modifying societies. What kind of societies? Societies in which millions spoke the same language. (Remember, an adjective answers the questions what kind, which one, how many, how much, what color, and whose.)

I checked about.com because I had never heard of a defining adjective clause. One example on that site is this (defining adjective clauses underlined):

The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."
(Martin Luther King, Jr.)

 

[Spiral]

Re: Modifiers describing Nouns

I'd call it a defining relative clause.

I had to look that up. :-? But from what I was able to find out at the Cambridge dictionary site, "defining relative clause" and "defining adjective clause" serve the same purpose—to modify a noun or pronoun. These clauses start with relative pronouns and serve as adjectives. So, at least to me, the two terms are synonymous.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Re: Modifiers describing Nouns

If I recall correctly, Piscean did not accept that it functioned as an adjective.
He argued with MikeNewYork about that some time ago.

 

[Rover_KE]

Re: Modifiers describing Nouns

Please note that I have changed your thread title.

Extract from the Posting Guidelines:

'Thread titles should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.'