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A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:36 am
by viewlucc
"Chinese leaders’ worries have been magnified by what party journals warn is an increasingly hostile bloc of Western governments, led by the United States, that have pushed back against Chinese high-tech acquisitions, propaganda influence and the mass detentions in Xinjiang."
The words after " by" is a sentence. My understanding it should be a noun or something equal. What's wrong with my understanding

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 1:25 am
by Joe
The word “by” occurs twice in your sentence.

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 6:20 am
by viewlucc
sorry, I am referring the first "by". "magnified by" , the words after this "by" usually is a noun only. But here is a sentence:"what party journals warn is something". "what party journals warn" equals to a noun. So the whole sentence to me is: "A have been magnified by B is C".

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:10 am
by Joe
It’s a noun clause. It functions exactly as a noun.

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:18 am
by viewlucc
Thanks. ""what party journals warn" is a noun clause. But "B is C" is not. The first time I see this kind of sentence. Could you give me some examples? Thank you very much!

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 1:36 pm
by Joe
[Chinese leaders’ worries] have been magnified by [an increasingly hostile bloc of Western governments].

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:18 pm
by viewlucc
Yes, this is the meaning of this whole sentence. My puzzle is about the grammar. For me it should be : Chinese leaders'worries have been magnified by what party journals warn, WHICH is an an increasingly hostile bloc of Western governments, led by the United States, that have pushed back against Chinese high-tech acquisitions, propaganda influence and the mass detentions in Xinjiang. Adding a word "which" seems strange, but this my grammar understanding.

Re: A noun replaced by a sentence

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 10:16 am
by Firefox
Chinese leaders’ worries have been magnified by [what party journals warn is an increasingly hostile bloc of Western governments, led by the United States, that have pushed back against Chinese high-tech acquisitions, propaganda influence and the mass detentions in Xinjiang].

I believe that everything in brackets is a noun clause.

There are many structures like this. Some simpler examples may help you:
  • This is what I call stupidity. - This is [the thing that I call stupidity]. This is [what I call stupidity].
  • He believes what everyone knows is untrue.
  • They are afraid of what their parents will think.
Hope this helps.