whose job it is

[Vladv1]

Hi there. I heard the following sentence on some podcast; "He is a man whose job it is to check the pressure in the valve". Could you explain why a dummy it is used? Would it be the same if we said "Whose job is to check.."

 

[SoothingDave]

The meaning is the same. You could also simplify it further to "his job is to check the pressure in the valve."

 

[Annabel Lee]

"He is a man whose job it is to check the pressure in the valve". Could you explain why a dummy it is used?

You're seeing extraposition within the relative clause. "It" is anticipatory "it," standing in for the infinitival.

​

To do this is his job.​

It is his job to do this.​

He is a man whose job it is [__] to do this.​

 

[Vladv1]

You're seeing extraposition within the relative clause. "It" is anticipatory "it," standing in for the infinitival.

​

To do this is his job.​

It is his job to do this.​

He is a man whose job it is [__] to do this.​

Which nouns other than "job" can be used in the pattern "Whose (noun) it is to do"?

 

[Annabel Lee]

Which nouns other than "job" can be used in the pattern "Whose (noun) it is to do"?

Others that come to my mind include role, goal, aim, intention, aspiration, task, desire, opportunity, fortune, misfortune.

 

[dunchee]

Could you explain why a dummy it is used? Would it be the same if we said "Whose job is to check.."

I believe Ian Noble(*1) explained it quite well:

… "Job" here has the sense of a particular responsibility or task, rather than a complete role (which, here, is "scarecrow monitor") . Without the "it" that sense would disappear.

(*1) From www.alt-usage-english.org

"whose job it is to oversee..."

groups.google.com

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi there. I heard the following sentence on some podcast:

"He is a man whose job it is to check the pressure in the valve".

Could you explain why a dummy it is used? Would it be the same if we said "... whose job is to check ..."?

Note my corrections above.You were lucky to get responses when you failed to cite the source. Please tell us the title and author/narrator of the podcast.

"I heard it on some podcast" is not sufficient.

 

[Vladv1]

Note my corrections above.You were lucky to get responses when you failed to cite the source. Please tell us the title and author/narrator of the podcast.

"I heard it on some podcast" is not sufficient.

Sorry, I can't remember the podcast or the author, it was something about scarry stories. This will not happen again.

 

[emsr2d2]

Sorry, I can't remember the podcast or the author. It was something about scarry scary stories. This will not happen again.

Let's hope not.