convinced by vs convinced that

[GoldfishLord]

So, I am not convinced by some of the arguments for claiming that that is not a relative pronoun. I am even less convinced that it is the same class of words as that in I know that he is ill.

I'd like to know if I'm right in thinking that "convinced" is an actual passive, not an adjective describing his condition, and that, in contrast, "convinced" is an adjective describing his condition, not some sort of passive.

 

[probus]

Convinced is the past participle of convince, and past participles can serve as adjectives. I think it does so at both places in the quoted passage, but I stand ready to be corrected by grammarians.

 

[jutfrank]

I think what you say is reasonable. The first case is followed by by, which suggests it's a verb, whereas the second case is modified by less, which suggests it's an adjective. I can't see how that really matters, however.

 

[Phaedrus]

So, I am not convinced by some of the arguments for claiming that that is not a relative pronoun. I am even less convinced that it is the same class of words as that in I know that he is ill.

I'd like to know if I'm right in thinking that "convinced" is an actual passive, not an adjective describing his condition, and that, in contrast, "convinced" is an adjective describing his condition, not some sort of passive.

A case can be made for the passive in both instances, which is not to deny the possibility of an adjectival analysis. Consider the active-voice correlates:

(1a) passive: I am not convinced by some of the arguments that that is not a relative pronoun.
(1b) active: Some of the arguments do not convince me that that is not a relative pronoun.

(2a) passive: I am even less convinced that it is the same class of words as that in I know that he is ill.
(2b) active: [Such arguments] convince me even less that it is the same class of words as that in I know that he is ill.

GoldfishLord, in case you're looking for the thread from which you quote, it has been moved to the rarely used Linguistics sub-forum of Using English.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Or: One tells us you're convinced, and one tells us what convinced you.