[Grammar] "It is a special thing, not like anything else".

[hhtt21]

Would you please explain the grammar of this sentence? I cannot be sure if the construction is an ellipsis, a reduced relative clause, or a parenthetical expression.

"It is a special thing, not like anything else".

Is the above sentence in the form of and does mean:

1. "It is a special thing; [it is] not like anything else. Ellipsis

2. "It is a special thing [that is] not like anything else. Reduced relative clause

3. "It is a special thing, (not like anything else). Parenthetical expression.

Self-made.

 

[jutfrank]

Re: not like (ellipsis) (relative clause) (parenthetical expression)

Please forget about grammatical explanations. These will not help you. Focus on the meaning and use.

It is a special thing. It is not like anything else.

 

[hhtt21]

Re: not like (ellipsis) (relative clause) (parenthetical expression)

Please forget about grammatical explanations. These will not help you. Focus on the meaning and use.

It is a special thing. It is not like anything else.

As the first two steps, I understood use and meaning, but as a third one, it is an ellipsis, right? If so, there are different types of ellipsis, what kind of an ellipsis is that one? Gapping, stripping ...? It seems that subject and auxiliary verb is excluded from the sentence.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: not like (ellipsis) (relative clause) (parenthetical expression)

Your first two interpretations make sense. The third doesn't. There's nothing to suggest that the words are parenthetical.

What you're doing is fine as a diagramming exercise. But Jutfrank is exactly right. The original version is more clear and economical that your three examples.

 

[hhtt21]

Re: not like (ellipsis) (relative clause) (parenthetical expression)

Your first two interpretations make sense. The third doesn't. There's nothing to suggest that the words are parenthetical.

What you're doing is fine as a diagramming exercise. But Jutfrank is exactly right. The original version is more clear and economical that your three examples.

Yes, but I am just trying to explore the grammar of the original sentence.

 

[Phaedrus]

Re: not like (ellipsis) (relative clause) (parenthetical expression)

"It is a special thing, not like anything else".

I parse the phrase in question (", not like anything else") as a reduced relative clause that is nonrestrictive.

2a. "It is a special thing, which is not like anything else."

The reason that phrase is nonrestrictive is that it comments on the meaning of "special"; it doesn't define the type of special thing that "it" is.

To the extent that nonrestrictive elements are parenthetical, the reduced nonrestrictive relative clause also qualifies as a parenthetical expression.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please note that I have changed your thread title.

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

 

[Phaedrus]

Re: not like (ellipsis) (relative clause) (parenthetical expression)

There's nothing to suggest that the words are parenthetical.

Nonrestrictive elements in sentences, including reduced nonrestrictive relative clauses, are often considered parenthetical.

 

[hhtt21]

Please note that I have changed your thread title.

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

Can you please add [grammar] in front of it, if possible?

 

[emsr2d2]

Can you please add [grammar] in front of it, if possible?

I've done that for you but I'm not sure it was necessary. I don't know about anyone else but I never take any notice of those tags. I open all threads, have a quick read, and decide whether I have anything useful to say.