"absolutely untapped a vein of energy" or "absolutely an untapped vein of energy"?

[brianok]

Hi, all!

A. absolutely untapped a vein of energy
B. absolutely an untapped vein of energy

What are the differences between A and B?

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please write a full sentence which makes clear what you mean to say.

 

[Tdol]

What's the context?

 

[brianok]

Actually, what I want to ask is basically the following:
1. Are A and B both grammatically valid ways of expression in English?
2. What, in general, are the differences between them semantically?

 

[Rover_KE]

We can help you when you put one or both phrases into a full sentence.

 

[brianok]

Actually, Jon Stweart once said in an interview with O'reilly that "By bringing this enormous group of pinheads, I am in many respects finding an engine of the economy that has been absolutely untapped a vein of energy." So, can the expression of "absolutely untapped a vein of energy" be replaced by "absolutely an untapped vein of energy" in his original words?

 

[jutfrank]

He says this:

By bringing together this enormous group of pinheads, uh, I am, you know, in in many respects finding an engine of the economy that has been absolutely untapped—a vein of of energy.

Notice my use of a dash, which I believe should answer your question.

 

[brianok]

He says this:

By bringing together this enormous group of pinheads, uh, I am, you know, in in many respects finding an engine of the economy that has been absolutely untapped—a vein of of energy.

Notice my use of a dash, which I believe should answer your question.

Sorry, I don't get what you exactly mean.

 

[jutfrank]

I meant to show you how you are parsing the sentence incorrectly. The final noun phrase a vein of energy is not grammatically attached to the previous part.

 

[brianok]

So, it should be absolutely an untapped vein of energy, thus it is grammatically valid expression. Am I right?

 

[jutfrank]

No, you've completely misunderstood. Look:

I am finding an engine of the economy that has been absolutely untapped

The phrase above is a grammatically complete sentence. The blue part is a relative clause, in the passive voice.

a vein of energy

The phrase above is a noun phrase. It is not grammatically connected to the blue part above.

 

[Ostap]

Or, in other words, "a vein of energy" and "is an engine of the economy that has been absolutely untapped" refer to the same thing. I think one could call it "apposition" in terms of grammar, although I'm not sure.

 

[brianok]

Ok, I get it. Thanks. Now, still, I want to know whether the phrase "absolutely untapped a vein of energy" is grammatically valid in some case? Thanks for the help.

 

[Ostap]

Ok, I get it. Thanks. Now, still, I want to know whether the phrase "absolutely untapped a vein of energy" is grammatically valid in some case? Thanks for the help.

No, you can't use an adjective before a determiner: "Absolutely untapped a vein of energy." - wrong. "An absolutely untapped vein of energy." - correct.

 

[brianok]

The reason I raise this question is that, to my English knowledge, we usually put the adjective after the article "a/an" and before the noun, such as, "an untapped market", not "untapped a market"; "a great job", not "great a job", though, by the way, in Chinese we can say either.
In addition, I know the structure "so....that", such as, "so great a job", etc. But, I'm asking about in usual circumstances.

 

[brianok]

Thank you very much. Now, let me dig a little further, let's say if Jon Stewart said "By bringing together this enormous group of pinheads, uh, I am, you know, in in many respects finding an engine of the economy that has been an absolutely untapped vein of of energy", is it a valid sentence? Or, at least grammatically it's so?

 

[Tarheel]

The grammar seems to be fine. What that means is another story.

 

[brianok]

The grammar seems to be fine. What that means is another story.

Ok, I get it. Language is interesting. A lot of nuance and subtlety.
Thank you very much.

 

[jutfrank]

The reason I raise this question is that, to my English knowledge, we usually put the adjective after the article "a/an" and before the noun, such as, "an untapped market", not "untapped a market"

Your question shows you still haven't understood the original sentence. There is no adjective before the article. Let me try to show you once more:

... absolutely untapped—a vein of energy ...

The adjective untapped and the article a are not grammatically connected. You cannot consider the adjective to be appearing before the article. The red and blue parts are not connected.

 

[brianok]

Your question shows you still haven't understood the original sentence. There is no adjective before the article. Let me try to show you once more:

... absolutely untapped—a vein of energy ...

The adjective untapped and the article a are not grammatically connected. You cannot consider the adjective to be appearing before the article. The red and blue parts are not connected.

I knew the original sentence. Thank you for your explanation. I just intended to discuss some grammar regarding the order of adjectives and articles in front of a noun, which in itself had nothing to do with the original sentence.