spf-discuss
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Off Topic - English Syntax

2005-03-24 07:54:38
Gosh, its been 40 years since I studied grammar in 10th grade English class, and I didn't pay much attention at the time. I'm finding this sideline interesting, however. Maybe it will help me communicate better. I always learn best when there is a real application or example. I learned nothing in my math classes, math in my physics classes, and physics in my engineering classes. I learned to write, not in class assignments, but when I actually had something to say.

>>>Simply removing SPF may not be an option.  More likely there would be a
>>>worldwide switch to SenderID or another authentication protocol like
>>>DomainKeys, which avoids all these problems.
>
>The subordinate clause refers to DomainKeys, not SenderID.  SenderID would
>have the same problems.
>
<...>
OK.  Your sentence doesn't actually parse the way you are saying it does,
but if you didn't mean Sender ID, then we should move on....

The alternatives are:

1) ... worldwide switch to SenderID or another authentication protocol like DomainKeys, which avoids all these problems. 2) ... worldwide switch to SenderID, which avoids all these problems, or another authentication protocol like DomainKeys. 3) ... worldwide switch to SenderID or another authentication protocol like DomainKeys, all of which avoid these problems.

The antecedent of "which avoids" has to be singular. If it were plural, you could say "which avoid", but there would still be ambiguity because DomainKeys looks like a possible plural antecedent. The positioning of the clause is important to indicate which of the possible antecedents is the intended one.

If this seems like a useless distraction over trivia, just ignore the post and we'll move on. I'm not trying to start a nit-picking argument, but simply trying to understand why two people misunderstood my original sentence.

-- Dave


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