Uniform Relatives

When several relative clauses relate to the same antecedent, they should have the same relative pronoun.

"It was Joseph that was sold into Egypt, who became

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governor of the land, and which saved his father and brothers from famine." Change that and which to who.

Choice of Relatives

Since who and that are both applied to persons, and which and that are both applied to animals and things, it often becomes a serious question which relative we shall employ. Much has been written upon the subject, but the critics still differ in theory and in practice.

The following is probably as simple a statement of the general rule as can be found:

If the relative clause is of such a nature that it could be introduced by and he, and she, and it, and they, etc., the relative who (for persons) and which (for animals or things) should be used in preference to the relative that.

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." The language of the Bible and of Shakespeare must stand, although the forms of expression differ greatly from those employed at the present day. According to modern standards, that should be who.

"The earth is enveloped by an ocean of air that is a compound of oxygen and nitrogen!" Change that to which.

The relative that should be used in preference to who or which:

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(1) When the antecedent names both persons and things; (2) When it would prevent ambiguity; (3) After the words same, very, all; (4) After the interrogative pronoun who; (5) After adjectives expressing quality in the highest degree.

"The wisest men who ever lived made mistakes." Use that. See (5).

"He lived near a stagnant pool which was a nuisance." Use that. See (2).

"All who knew him loved him." Say that. See (3).

"Who who saw him did not pity him." See (4).

"He spake of the men and things which he had seen." See (1).

"These are my pupils which I have brought to see you." Use whom, as which is not applied to persons.

"This is the window whose panes were broken by the rude boys." Use "the panes of which." Because of its convenience, perhaps, the faulty whose is very largely used; as, "The eagle whose wings," "The house whose gables," "The ocean whose waves," "The vessel whose sails," "The play whose chief merit," "Music whose chief attraction," etc.

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Which and Who after "And"

Which and who cannot follow and unless there has been a preceding which or who in the same sentence and in the same construction.

"The more important rules, definitions and observations, and which are therefore the most proper to be committed to memory, are printed with a large type."-- Murray's Grammar. In Moore's Bad English the sentence is corrected thus: "The rules, definitions, and observations which are the more important, and which are therefore the most proper to be committed to memory, are printed in larger type."

Adverbs for Relative Pronouns

Adverbs are often employed where a preposition with a relative pronoun would better express the sense.

"There is no method known how his safety may be assured." Use by which instead of how.

"He wrote me a letter where he repeated his instructions." "Letter in which he repeated," etc.

"And curse the country where their fathers dwelt." "In which their fathers dwelt."

"This is a case where large interests are involved." The preposition and relative will better express the meaning; as, "This is a case in which large interests are involved."

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Misplaced Relative

The relative should be so placed as to prevent ambiguity, and as near as possible to its antecedent.

"Mr. Smith needs a surgeon, who has broken his arm." Say, "Mr. Smith, who has broken," etc.

"The figs were in small wooden boxes, which we ate." "The figs which we ate," etc.

"He needs no boots that cannot walk." "He that cannot walk," etc.

Omitted Relatives

The relative pronoun is often omitted when it should be expressed.

"The next falsehood he told was the worst of all." Say, "The next falsehood that he told," etc.

"It is little we know of the divine perfections." Say, "Little that we know."

"Almost all the irregularities in the construction of any language have arisen from the ellipsis of some words which were originally inserted in the sentence and made it regular."-- Murray's Grammar. The sentence should end with "and which made it regular."

The one, the other

When the one and the other refer to things previously mentioned, the one applies to the first mentioned, and the other to the last mentioned.

"Homer was a genius, Virgil an artist: in the one we most admire the man; in the other, the work."

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CHAPTER VI

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