複雜的句子中關係代名詞which所代表的東西為何

Question

請問各位英文高手,我在GMAT修辭學的題目中 看到以下句子
In Italy, the combination of erosion of the empire's power amd rapid urban growth, during and after the Gregorian Age, created republics that were truly independent. 這句話是正確的選項

但是其中還有一個錯誤的選項Erosion of the empire's power, in Italy during and after the Gregorian Age, combined with rapid urban growth, which created republics that were truly independent 書上寫的解釋是因為which的先行詞是growth,意即快速的都市成長造成獨立共何國的出現,改變句意

但是我一直覺的which是代表Erosion of the empire's power 有誰能幫我解答呢 謝謝

另外還有一題 The economy, throttled by state-owned enterprises which gobble up subsidies and choke investments, has been slow to react to goverment inrervention.這是正確的選項

另外有一個錯誤的選項The economy, throttled by state-owned enterprices, gobbles up subsidies and choke investments, which has been slow to react to goverment intervention 下面解釋說which是代表the economy,所以句意變成經濟銷耗掉補助金和抑制投資金,但原句意應該是國營企業銷耗掉而非經濟

為什麼這兩句同樣是逗點之後加上which所修飾的位置卻不依樣阿
請解釋給我聽 謝謝啦

Answer 1

關係代名詞引導的形容詞子句, 以限定用法而言, 就是修飾距離最近的先行詞. 若是非限定用法, 也可以修飾前面的整個主要子句(用以補充說明).
[In Italy], the combination of erosion of the empire's power amd rapid urban growth(主詞) , [during and after the Gregorian Age], created(動詞) republics [that were truly independent] (修飾republics) .
自Gregory時代以降, 義大利君王權力的勢微以及城市的快速崛起, 造就了真正獨立的共和政體. (A)
Erosion of the empire's power(主詞), [in Italy during and after the Gregorian Age], combined (動詞) with rapid urban growth, [which created republics that were truly independent].
解讀一:
自Gregory時代以降, 義大利君王權力的勢微結合了(伴隨了)城市的快速崛起, 而城市的崛起造就了真正獨立的共和政體.
which 子句修飾 growth.
解讀二:
同 (A), which子句修飾前面整句, 而非"Erosion of the empire's power".
The economy(主詞) , [throttled by state-owned enterprises which gobble up subsidies and choke investments], has been (動詞) slow to react to goverment inrervention.

國營事業侵蝕政府津貼而且投資停頓, 整體經濟在其壓制下成呈現蕭條, 在政府的努力下並無多少起色.
which 子句修飾 enterprises.


The economy (主詞) , [throttled by state-owned enterprices], gobbles (動詞一) up subsidies and chokes (動詞二) investments, which has been slow to react to goverment intervention.

解讀一:

在國營事業的壓制下, 整體經濟侵蝕政府津貼而且甚少投資, 而這些投資在政府的努力下, 並沒有多少起色.

which子句形容前面的investments.

解讀二:

在國營事業的壓制下, 整體經濟侵蝕政府津貼而且甚少投資, 這樣的情況在政府的努力下, 並沒有多少起色.

which子句形容前面整個句子.
*****
如果一種寫法會產生不同的解讀方式, 容易引起誤會, 就不是理想的方式.
關係代名詞如果和其先行詞分離, 又可能因句子長度而必須在它的前面加上逗號, 很容易被視為非限定用法而擴大解釋的可能性, 因而引起不同的解讀.
換個角度看, 兩個正確選項都不會讓人有誤解, 不是嗎?


2007-01-26 12:33:22 補充：
第一個錯誤選項其實應該這樣寫:

Erosion of the empire's power, in Italy during and after the Gregorian Age, WAS COMBINED WITH rapid urban growth, which created republics that were truly independent.

2007-01-26 12:33:35 補充：
或者:

Erosion of the empire's power, in Italy during and after the Gregorian Age, COMBINED rapid urban growth, which created republics that were truly independent.