if not my mentor

[navi tasan]

1) If not to my mentor, I had managed to talk to a man whose books had had a great influence on me.
2) I had managed to talk to a man whose books had had a great influence on me, although not to my mentor.

Can one use #1 instead of #2?

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3) If not a masterpiece, she had composed a beautiful piece of music that would bring joy to many.
4) She had composed a beautiful piece of music that would bring joy to many, although not a masterpiece.


Can one use #3 instead of #4?

 

[jutfrank]

It doesn't matter what you can do, does it? Don't you mean to ask what you should do, and why?

 

[Annabel Lee]

I find the abbreviated concessive clause potentially misleading in all four sentences. In (1) and (2), the intended meaning is presumably that the man you talked to was not your mentor; in (3) and (4), the intended meaning is presumably that the piece she composed was not a masterpiece.

However, because of the placement of the abbreviated clause, (1) and (2) can be interpreted as meaning that you did not, in addition to the man you are speaking of, talk to your mentor. Likewise, (3) and (4) can be interpreted as meaning that she did not, in addition to composing a beautiful piece that would bring joy to many, compose a masterpiece. I suggest:

1/2) I managed to talk to a man who, though not my mentor, had (still) written books that had had a great influence on me.​

3/4) She had composed a beautiful piece of music which, though not a masterpiece, would (still) bring joy to many.​

 

[jutfrank]

All four sentences are wrong.

Yet again, I'm desperately struggling to understand what your question really concerns. Are you trying to work out how far removed such abbreviated clauses can be without completely breaking intelligibility?

Also, why are you substituting 'although' for 'if'? These words are very different in meaning.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much,

I read a sentence like #3 in a letter and wondered about the grammar. That's all.

Respectfully,
Navi

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you both very much,

I read a sentence like #3 in a letter and wondered about the grammar. That's all.

Respectfully,
Navi

Did you read a sentence like it, or did you read that sentence? It would make far more sense to ask us a question about an actual sentence you read in real life. Next time you spot something you want to ask us about, record it exactly in some way - screenshot, photograph, write it in a notebook etc. Also, make it clear precisely what your question is - not just "Can I say this instead of that?" Tell us exactly what grammatical point you're wondering about.

 

[jutfrank]

I read a sentence like #3 in a letter and wondered about the grammar. That's all.

That's not very helpful, to be honest. Please try to make an effort to help us understand where your questions come from so we can guess what you're really asking. You'll get much better answers that way.

 

[navi tasan]

Your answers are perfect. They are extremely helpful. Annabel Lee's replies are beyond perfect! A special thanks to Annabel Lee.