ENGLISH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION

Transcription

1 ENGLISH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION Oleh : Sri Haryanti INTRODUCTION To express the person s ideas, feelings, and thought, he can use language. It consists of various rules which are different from other language. These rules can be applied either in formal or informal occasion depending on the speaker s or writer s intention. They need to be applied in sentences or constructions. One of them which is usually used in everyday communication is elliptical construction. It is a kind of construction in which the speaker deletes the item or items from the construction. However, when he or she wants to delete, he or she has to pay attention to the rule stated above. The rule is based on both linguistics and non linguistics context. Here is one example of ellipsis based on linguistics context: After learning English, I am able to speak it fluently. After learning English can be made into complete form: After I learned English or after I have learned English. Further explanation of it is as follows. THE STRUCTURE OF ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION The structures of English elliptical construction that are stated by Mas ud (1998: ) are as follows: 1. The elliptic structures a. Two positive statements that have same predicate (including object and complement) can be arranged as follows: subject + verb (be) + too subject + verb (be) + and + so + verb (be) + subject 1) He is busy. I am busy. He is busy, and I am too. Or He is busy, and so am I. 2) You bought a new book. She bought a new book. You bought a new book, and she did too. Or You bought a new book, and so did she. 3) John likes swimming. Maria likes swimming. John likes swimming, and Maria does not too. Or John likes swimming, and so does Maria. 4) Budi has written it. I have written it. Budi has written it, and I have too. Or Budi has written it, and so have I b. Two Negative statements that have same predicate (including object and complement) can be arranged as follows: subject negative auxiliary or be either Negative statement + and neither positive auxiliary or be subject Sri Haryanti : adalah dosen Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010

2 Here are some examples: 1) I don t like smoking. He doesn t like smoking. I don t like smoking, and he doesn t either. Or I don t like smoking, and neither does he. 2) He wasn t ill and I wasn t ill. He wasn t ill, and I wasn t either. Or He wasn t ill, and neither was I. 3) Ali didn t ask any question. You didn t ask any question. Ali didn t ask any question, and you didn t either. Or Ali didn t ask any question, and neither has Budi. c. Two positive statements which contain compound verb (auxiliary/modal + verb) can be arranged by using the pattern in point a. Here are some examples: 1) He will come here soon. She will come here soon. He will come here soon, and so will she. Or He will come here soon, and she will too. 2) Budi can play the piano. I can play the piano. Budi can play the piano, and I can too. Or Budi can play the piano, and so can I. d. Two negative statements which contain compound verb (auxiliary/modal + verb) can be arranged by using the pattern in point b. Here are some examples: 1) He can t play tennis. You can t play tennis. He can t play tennis, and you can t either. Or He can t play tennis and neither can you. e. The combination of negative statements and positive statements with the same tense is arranged by using the conjunction but. The pattern is as follows: negative negative Subject auxiliary but subject auxiliary modal modal 1) Amir can play a guitar. Ali can t play a guitar. Amir can play a guitar, but Ali can t. Arifah is a student. Fatimah is not a student. Arifah is a student, but Fatimah isn t. 2) I don t like smoking. He likes smoking. I don t like smoking, but he does. 3) She didn t buy a new car. You bought a new car. She didn t buy a new car, but you did. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September

3 f. The combination of two positive statements which contains verb, noun, etc; in the same tense is arranged by using the conjunction Both and. 1) I study English. He studies English. Both I and he study English. 2) Amir was happy. Udin was happy. Both Amir and Udin were happy. 3) You can drive a car. He can drive a car. Both you and he can drive a car. 4) You have written a novel. Rina has written a novel. Both you and Rina have written a novel. g. The pattern below is used to state one of two actions in two sentences with same tense. Either or + positive auxiliary (modal). 1) We can read a newspaper. We can play the guitar. We can either read a newspaper or play the guitar. 2) He will take it. I will take it. Either he or I will take it. 3) You may play football. You may play tennis. You may play either football or tennis. h. The pattern below is used to state none of : Neither nor + positive auxiliary (modal). 1) My brother isn t policeman. My brother isn t a postman. My brother is neither a policeman nor a postman. 2) He doesn t want a pencil. He doesn t want a book. He wants neither a pencil nor a book. 3) Betty can t read. Mary can t read. Neither Betty nor Mary can read. 4) I didn t buy a car. My friend didn t buy a car. Neither I nor my friend bought a car. 2. The place of Ellipsis in a sentence Ellipsis can happen in some positions in a sentence. According to Swan (1980: 197), ellipsis at the beginning of a sentence is described as follows: a. Words that can be left out are articles, possessives, personal pronouns and auxiliary verbs. For examples: 1) Car s giving trouble again. (=The car s ) 2) What s the matter? Stomach s sore. ( My stomach ) 3) Couldn t understand what he wanted (=I couldn t understand what he wanted.) 4) Seen Andy? (=Have you seen Andy?) 58 Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010

4 b. Personal pronouns can always be left out before ordinary verbs, if this leaves the meaning clear. For examples: 1) Wonder what she s doing. 2) Hope to see you soon. 3) Looks just like his father. A personal pronoun cannot always be left out before an auxiliary verb. A subject pronoun before a negative auxiliary verb, and sometimes before a modal auxiliary verb like must, but the subject before affirmative have, be or will cannot be dropped. For examples: 1) Can t do it. 2) Haven t seen him. 3) Won t work, you know. 4) May see you tomorrow. 5) Must dust. 6) Doesn t know what she wants. However, it is possible to drop the subject pronoun and the auxiliary, if this leaves the meaning clear. For examples: 1) See you soon. 2) Coming tomorrow. 3) Forgotten your name. c. In affirmative sentences, ellipsis is most common with first-person or third-person subjects. The replacement subject there can also be left out. For example: Nobody at home. (=There is nobody at home.) Ellipsis is less common with second-person subjects (except in questions), but is perfectly possible in cases where the meaning clear. For examples: 1) Can t go in there. (=You can t ) 2) Need your oil changing. 3) Have to wait a bit, I m afraid. 4) Keeping well, I hope. d. In questions, auxiliary verbs (do, have, be, or will) can be left out. The subject can be dropped as well if this leaves the meaning clear. For examples: 1) You ready? 2) Ready? 3) Your father got a car? 4) Anybody want more? 5) You be here tomorrow? e. Ellipsis is very common in sentences that have some sort of tag stuck on the end. For examples: a. Can t swim, myself. b. Dutch, aren t you? c. Going on holiday, your kids? d. Like my pint, I do. e. Getting in your way, am I? Meanwhile, the places of ellipsis in a sentence that are stated by Mas ud (1998: 297) are as follows: 1. Ellipsis of subject and (or Auxiliary)/ (Modal). For examples: a. Ridwan ate a cheese sandwich and (Ridwan) drank a glass of coffee. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September

5 b. Yulia should clean the shed and Amir (should) mow the lawn. c. The volcano erupted much more violently than (it) was foreseen. d. Bakri must have been studying English and Farida (must have been) doing her homework. 2. Ellipsis of predicate or predication For examples: a. I work in a factory, and my brother (works) on a farm. b. She will study today, and she may (study) tomorrow. c. It s cold in December in England, but (it is cold) in July in New Zealand. d. Arif is playing football for his school, and Yusuf (is playing football) for his club. e. Adi will take the course, and Udin might (take the course) too. 3. Ellipsis of Direct Object or Subject Complement. For examples: a. Hasan likes (Dewi), and Agus hates, Dewi. b. Ismail was happy, and Rahmad certainly seemed so (happy). c. Nashir has recently become (a very diligent student), and his brother always was, a very diligent student. 3. The Kinds of Ellipsis According to Quirk et al (1973: ), there are two kinds of ellipsis, namely ellipsis depending on linguistic context and nonlinguistic context. a. Ellipsis depends on linguistic context 1) Adverbial finite clause In adverbial finite clause, the whole predicate or part of predicate can be deleted. a. I am happy if you are (happy). b. Mary is dusting the furniture because Alice won t (dust the furniture). 2) Adverbial non-finite and verb less clauses The subjects (co-referential) with that of the superordinate clause and an appropriate form of be are ellipted in: a) Participle Clauses Although (he was) told to stop, he kept on working. If there is no subordinator, more than one subordinator can be available, and maybe there are some possibilities for time and aspect. 1. (If/When they are) punished, they will not cooperate. 2. Although living many miles away, he attended the course= although he is living/was living/lives/lived many miles away, he attended the course. 60 Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010

6 b) Verb less clauses While (he was) at oxford, he was active in the dramatic society. 3) Post modification Post modifying clauses or clause or phrase can often be considered relative clauses which are reduced: a. Post modifying clauses 1) The police rounded up men (who are/were) known to have been in the building at that time. 2) The man owning that car will be fined for illegal parking. b. Post modifying adjective phrases The men (who were) responsible for the administration of the school refused to consider the matter. c. Post modifying prepositional phrases He spoke to the girl (who was) from New York. 4) Supplementing and appended clauses A supplementing clause can be regarded as an elliptical clause (usually parenthetic or an after thought) for which the whole of the preceding or interrupted clause constitutes the ellipsis: I caught the train.-just. (= I caught the train. I only just caught the train) In appended clause only part of the preceding or the interrupted clause constitutes the ellipsis, and an additional clause constituent is present: They are meant to wound, perhaps to kill. (= They are meant to wound. They are perhaps meant to kill). b. Ellipsis does not depend on linguistic context Some informational ellipsis types which do not depend on linguistic context, for example: Serve you right can be expanded to It serves you right. In some cases, which are ellipted are initial words or words in a sentence. 1) (I am) sorry I couldn t be here. 2) (I ve) got to go now. 3) (You) had a good time? 4) (It s) good to see you. 5) (Are you) looking for any body? 6) (Is) Anything the matter? 7) (Does) Anybody need a lift? Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September

7 4. Ellipsis in dialogue According to Quirk et al (1973: ), ellipsis in dialogue occurs in three conditions which can occur in various combinations. The words, phrases, or sentences in the brackets below can be omitted. The three conditions are as follows: a. Repetition: The second speaker repeats what the first speaker said. A : Have you spoken to the doctor? the doctor spoken to B : (Yes). I have him done so A : I m studying grammar. B : Are you (studying grammar)? A : He s studying Latin B : (He s studying) Latin! He doesn t know his own language. b. Expansion: The second speaker adds what has been said by the first speaker. A : Will they lose the game? B : Probably (they will (lose (the game))). A : Peter will be there. Peter that willbe there B : Are you sure he of that A : He won t play. B : I d like to know why he won' t not play 62 Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010

8 c. Replacement: The second speaker replaces with the new material to what has been said by the first speaker. A : Who told your father? B : my father told Mary him did so A : It cost me twenty-five dollars. B : How much (did it cost (you))? A : They want the key now. B the key : No, they want tonight. it d. Combinations: 1) Including expansion and replacement. A : When did he lose the key? B : the key lost he Probably it did so last night. A : Can I help you, madam? B : Well, I m looking for a pair of white gloves. 2) Including repetition and replacement. A : John told me what you did. B : what I did Who told you? that 3) Including repetition, expansion, expansion, and replacement. A : They paid fifty dollars for it. B : Oh no, they paid more fifty than for it that. CONCLUSION Based on the description above, the writer can give a short explanation of elliptical construction as follows. Ellipsis can be seen from the structure, the place, and the kind. Viewed from the structure, when the sentences are positive we can use the structure of elliptical construction: Subject + verb (be) + too, or So + verb (be) + subject; when the sentences are negative we can use the pattern: Subject + negative auxiliary or be + either, or Neither + positive auxiliary or be + subject. Viewed from the place, we can apply ellipsis in the place of subject and (or auxiliary) (modal), of predicate or predication, of direct object or subjective complement. Kinds of ellipsis can be viewed from linguistic context and nonlinguistic context. Ellipsis which depends on linguistic context can be in the form of adverbial finite clause, adverbial non finite and verb less clauses which can be subdivided into participle clause and verb less clause, post modification consisting of post modifying clauses, post modifying adjective phrase, post modifying prepositional phrase, supplementing and appended clauses. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September

9 REFERENCES Frank, Marcella Modern English, A Practical Reference Guide. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. Mas ud, Fuad Essentials of English Grammar, a Practical Guide. Yogyakarta: BPFE. Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum A University Grammar of English. England:Longman Group Ltd. Swan. Michael Practical English Usage. Oxford : oxford University Press. 64 Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010