From: utzoo!decvax!microsof!uw-beave!cornell!ddw
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Title: diction and all that/which
Article-I.D.: cornell.4085
Posted: Tue Mar  8 20:06:51 1983
Received: Thu Mar 10 00:59:55 1983

Interestingly, I recently had an interchange with Ken Goutal (decvax!goutal)
on the differences between "that" and "which".  Strictly speaking, "that"
should be used to introduce restrictive clauses, "which" nonrestrictive.
For those not familiar with the terminology, a restrictive clause describes
(restricts) the objects in question, e.g. "the book that is on the table"
tells you what book I mean, whereas "the book, which is on the table" implies
you already know what book I mean, and I just happen to be mentioning that
it's on the table.

(Sorry about the run-on sentence.)

I admit that there is usually no danger of the reader becoming confused, but
I ran across an example not long ago where someone had used "which" and should
have used "that".  Taking it as a nonrestrictive clause made the sentence
false.  Unfortunately, I failed to copy down the example, but will try to
get hold of it.

As for the diction program, I have rarely found any use for it.  Most of the
stuff it complains about is bad in some contexts but all right in others, so
I've given up on it.

                                        David Wright

                                        {vax135|decvax|allegra}!cornell!ddw
                                        ddw@cornell