Then he folds the bill and slowly unfolds it again, as if looking at something he can't believe is there.
请问句中的something he can't believe is there怎么分析结构?我的理解是定语从句原本语序是he can't believe (that) something is there,但是这样的话somgthing充当的是believe宾语从句的主语,为什么可以省略关系代词?
这个句子的后半句改写成...as if looking at something which/that he can’t believe is there。其中which/that is there这个关系分句被另一个形同插入语的分句he can’t believe推下,所形成的嵌套结构 which/that he can’t believe is there被称为pushdown relative clause (下推式关系分句/后进先出关系分句),亦可称为dependent embedded relative clause。
在普通的关系分句中(除少数特殊情况外)作主语的关系代词一般是不可以省略的。但在pushdown relative clause中,嵌入的主语( embedded subject)是可以省略的,或者说可以是一个空缺(gap)。这样的结构很简洁,也符合语法。例如:
The boy (that) we thought was ready is not, after all.
I will read the poem (which) Tom hopes will be written for you.
She’s the student he said had made the complaint.
I want a car I know is safe.
He's the one (that) they think was responsible for the first attack.
当然,关于这个空缺的线性位置、句法功能和词性定位,语法学家的意见并不完全一致,这是由他们各自所推出的整个语法框架的区别造成的。我们按传统理解即可,无须深究。
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