A name for adjectival phrases applied to names?
December 20, 2010 10:53 PM Subscribe
Is there a term for descriptors that are applied to names that are not epithets? Or does the phrase "Kurt Vonnegut, who is in heaven" contain an epithet?
I was reading the Ricky Gervais and I was thinking of what he said about the being nice bit. I was thinking of posting a comment quoting Kurt Vonnegut, using the phrase "As Kurt Vonnegut, who is in heaven, once said" and I started wondering about the structure there. Given that that's how I sometimes refer to him, the phrase "who is in heaven" seems like it should be an epithet. However, the form looks, for lack of a better term, wrong. So is it an epithet, is it something else, or does a term like that have no name?
(If you're wondering about the Kurt Vonnegut and heaven thing, take a look here)
I was reading the Ricky Gervais and I was thinking of what he said about the being nice bit. I was thinking of posting a comment quoting Kurt Vonnegut, using the phrase "As Kurt Vonnegut, who is in heaven, once said" and I started wondering about the structure there. Given that that's how I sometimes refer to him, the phrase "who is in heaven" seems like it should be an epithet. However, the form looks, for lack of a better term, wrong. So is it an epithet, is it something else, or does a term like that have no name?
(If you're wondering about the Kurt Vonnegut and heaven thing, take a look here)
Best answer: That's just a relative clause. Everything has a name in grammar!
posted by oinopaponton at 11:31 PM on December 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by oinopaponton at 11:31 PM on December 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
"Is there a term for descriptors that are applied to names that are not epithets?"
Your question is ambiguous as stated. Do you mean:
1. Is there a term for descriptors that are applied to names, other than the term "epithet"?
OR
2. Is there a term for descriptors that are applied to names, where the descriptors are not epithets themselves?
posted by iamkimiam at 12:11 AM on December 21, 2010
Your question is ambiguous as stated. Do you mean:
1. Is there a term for descriptors that are applied to names, other than the term "epithet"?
OR
2. Is there a term for descriptors that are applied to names, where the descriptors are not epithets themselves?
posted by iamkimiam at 12:11 AM on December 21, 2010
Response by poster: oinopapoton, you're right, it's a relative clause. Damn, I was hoping there was a specific name for clauses like that which related to a name. Thanks.
posted by Hactar at 12:20 AM on December 21, 2010
posted by Hactar at 12:20 AM on December 21, 2010
without a verb it's an appositive phrase ("Kurt Vonnegut, the popular writer, ...") and my grammar books always reminded me that relative clauses modifying nouns or pronouns could often be reduced to appositive phrases to avoid wordiness. although of course I couldn't think of a good way to do it to yours. :)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 2:45 AM on December 21, 2010
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 2:45 AM on December 21, 2010
Kurt Vonnegut, the dead writer...
That's one way, and I think even KV would approve.
posted by emelenjr at 8:10 AM on December 21, 2010
That's one way, and I think even KV would approve.
posted by emelenjr at 8:10 AM on December 21, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by slappy_pinchbottom at 10:59 PM on December 20, 2010