Date: Sat, 18 Nov 1995 15:30:17 -0500

From: Bob Haas rahaas[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HAMLET.UNCG.EDU

Subject: Re: Don Nelson puts behind



On Fri, 17 Nov 1995, Dennis R. Preston wrote:



How about the other funny business in this sentence? Since the 'him' (in 1

above, a completely grammatical sentence) is a clause-mate to 'Nelson,' why

isn't it reflexive? *Nelson put this chapter behind himself. Could this odd

fact have anything to do with the fact that the locative is predicted by

'put' but here has an obligatory temporal metaphoric reading?



Dennis,



It's not reflexive because the action is not directed toward Nelson,

himself. Rather the action is directed and focused upon the "chapter".

So, in that regard, the sentence seems to be correct. Still, it does

read a little weird, but I wonder if I see as such due to Beth's initial

post. Did she taint my perception of what may simply be a strange

sounding sentence?



Jus' wondrin'



Bob Haas

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

rahaas[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]hamlet.uncg.edu