[Grammar] From where vs From which

[MichaelLu2000]

Hello guys!

I would like to know what the real difference is between these two expressions: From where vs From which.

I have asked some of my friends, who are native speakers of English; however, their opinions are divided.

For example, in this sentence, "The biggest and the busiest port in Taiwan is Kaohsiung, from which/where millions of tons of goods are sent to other countries every year.

Some said that" from which" is better, while others said "from where" is better.

I have thought about this and come up with a possible explanation. They might be both possible.

"From which" focuses on Kaohsiung's identity as a port. A port is a facility from which goods can be sent overseas thanks to the buildings and the equipment there. In other words, it focuses on its function as a thing. It's more like what we see in the sentence "You better stay in a hotel near the main station, from which you can travel everywhere in this country". In this case, from which is used as main station is more important as a building, a facility, than a location. Where it is is not particularly important as you need trains and railways to get to other places.

On the other hand, "from where" focuses on its identity as a location. Kaohsiung is also a place, a location; in other words, many goods are sent "from there". It's a location from which many things are sent abroad but it does not focus on its function. For example, in the sentence "We drove back to New York, from where we flew to Washington", from where is used because in this sentence the definition of New York as a "city" is not emphasized. It can be rewritten as "We drove back to New York, and from there we flew to Washington"

Does anyone have other advice or suggestions about my analysis?

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[emsr2d2]

Welcome to the forum. :hi:

I agree with your analysis. "from where" refers to Kaohsiung and "from which" refers to the port.

 

[jutfrank]

Your reasoning is sound. However, the topic of this sentence is the port, not the town, so from which is much the better choice.

You can conceive the referent of the word Kaohsiung in two ways—either as a port or as a town. When you read The biggest and busiest port in Taiwan is Kaohsiung, you instantly imagine the port area, not the rest of the town—shopping centre, parks, residential areas, etc.

If the speaker/writer were thinking of Kaohsiung as a town, then he/she could make that this is the topic clear by changing the subject of the sentence, and possibly rephrasing slightly to something like Taiwan's biggest port town is Kaohsiung, from where ...

 

[MichaelLu2000]

That's also what I am thinking. Putting the word "Kaohsiung" in a difference place in the sentence does make a difference. And your way is actual how I how I compose my sentence in he first place. Another example I can come up with is "China is our biggest business partner, from where/which we import most of our crude materials" Here if we use from where China is seen as a location. We might import goods from there but the goods are sold not only by Chinese people but possibly also foreigners who have a business there. IF We use "from which", we see China as a business partner. The people who have been trading with might be Chinese only and possibly, he government of China.

 

[jutfrank]

IF We use "from which", we see China as a business partner.

I agree.

If you're thinking of China as a partner rather than as a location, you could also use from whom.

If you want to make it clear that China is seen as a location rather than a partner, you should use from where, and it also might be a good idea to change the word partner, or perhaps rephrase the thought entirely.


PS: Sorry to butcher the spelling of Kaohsiung so badly!