#1 The man who is contented is happy.
#2 The man is happy who is contented.
#3 The man is happy, who is contented.
2006-07-09 19:49:54 · 14 answers · asked by Black Dog 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
The first is the best one. The second can be considered a slightly 'poetic' breaking of the relative-clause rule, and the third one has an error in comma-usage.
2006-07-09 20:36:39 · answer #1 · answered by XYZ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
#1 could refer to a specific man; he is known to be contented so that information is used to identify him, and then the new infomation given about him in the sentence is that he is happy.
This structure is the same as "The man in the black hat is happy".
#2 can only mean (and #1 can mean this as well) that by definition, happy men are contented.
This structure is the same as "The man is naked who is wearing no clothes."
#3 is badly punctuated, I believe.
2006-07-10 01:17:58 · answer #2 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let's refrase with synonyms:
#1 The man who is satisfied is pleased.
#2 The man who is pleased is satisfied.
#3 The man is pleased, who is satisfied.
The first two indicated different criteria for content and for being happy. The third has a problem with puctuation. You can add a question mark insteas of a period to pose a completely different and open ended question. A semi colon would indicate the happy man is satisfied,though for what we don't know. Hemmingway would approve, though it's vague to the reat of us.
2006-07-09 20:40:25 · answer #3 · answered by Ed H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The First one is the Grammatically right sentence & others are not..
Other sentences are wrong because of the expression, 'happy who' with a comma or none in between.
The Correct form would be, 'The man is happy WHEN / While ? If (to name a few) he is contended.'
In sentence 3, there is 'Inversion' but it is not clear or correct.
Got it?
2006-07-19 06:13:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first is happy cause he's contented.
The second is content cause he's happy.
The third the man is happy but we dont know who is contented.
2006-07-09 19:54:57 · answer #5 · answered by Lupin IV 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The second one is the most visually correct one.
The first one is also correct, but you would have to look closely.
And the third one, I'm not sure who's contented.??
2006-07-19 02:13:25 · answer #6 · answered by Jade A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'The' shouldn't be used.
Rewrite:
A man who is content is happy.
Or:
A contented man is a happy man.
2006-07-23 03:24:45 · answer #7 · answered by VelvetRose 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1 and 2 need puntuation
3 has incorrect grammer
2006-07-23 08:48:45 · answer #8 · answered by heidi_rammstein 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your questions can probably be answered with attention to grammer and punctuation which differentiates there uses by juxtiposition of verbs and subjects.
2006-07-16 07:46:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One could be quoted as a question. The other are statements of fact.
2006-07-09 19:54:21 · answer #10 · answered by rdhedhottie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋