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ENGLISH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION Oleh : Sri Haryanti INTRODUCTION Here are some of the examples: To express the person’s ideas, feelings, and thought, he can use language. It consists of various 1) He is busy. I am busy. 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 He is busy, and I am too. Or intention. They need to be applied in sentences or constructions. One of them which is usually used in 2) You bought a new book. She bought a 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. You bought a new book, and she He is busy, and so am I. new book. 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. THE STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION OF Budi has written it, and so have I The structures of English elliptical construction that are stated by Mas’ud (1998: 292-296) are as follows: 1. The elliptic structures a. Or ELLIPTICAL Two positive statements that have same 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 predicate (including object and complement) can be arranged as follows: subject + verb (be) … + too subject + verb (be) …+ and + so + verb (be) … + subject Sri Haryanti : adalah dosen .... 56 Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 English Elliptical Construction Here are some examples: d. 1) I don’t like smoking. He doesn’t like smoking. be arranged by using the pattern in point “b”. Here are some examples: I don’t like smoking, and he doesn’t either. Or 1) He can’t play tennis. You can’t play tennis. I don’t like smoking, and neither does he. He can’t play tennis, and you can’t either. Or 2) He wasn’t ill and I wasn’t ill. He can’t play tennis and neither can He wasn’t ill, and I wasn’t either. you. 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 Two negative statements which contain compound verb (auxiliary/modal + verb) can 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 Here are some of the examples: 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. Budi can play the piano, and so can I. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 57 English Elliptical Construction f. The combination of two positive statements which contains verb, noun, etc; in the same h. Neither…nor…+ (modal). tense is arranged by using the conjunction “Both…and…”. 1) My brother isn’t policeman. My brother 1) I study English. He studies English. isn’t a postman. Both I and he study English. My brother is neither a policeman 2) Amir was happy. Udin was happy. nor a postman. Both Amir and Udin were happy. 2) He doesn’t want a pencil. He doesn’t want a book. 3) You can drive a car. He can drive a car. He wants neither a pencil nor a book. Both you and he can drive a car. 3) Betty can’t read. Mary can’t read. 4) You have written a novel. Rina has written a novel. Neither Betty nor Mary can read. Both you and Rina have written a 4) I didn’t buy a car. My friend didn’t buy a car. novel. The pattern below is used to state “one of two actions” in two sentences with same tense. Either … or … + positive auxiliary (modal). Here are some of the examples: 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. positive auxiliary Here are some of the examples: Here are some of the examples: g. The pattern below is used to state “none of”: 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 ISSN 0215-9511 English Elliptical Construction b. Personal pronouns can always be left out before ordinary verbs, if this leaves the Ellipsis is less common with second-person meaning clear. For examples: subjects (except in questions), but is perfectly possible in cases where the 1) Wonder what she’s doing. meaning clear. For examples: 2) Hope to see you soon. 1) Can’t go in there. (=You can’t…) 3) Looks just like his father. 2) Need your oil changing. 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 3) Have to wait a bit, I’m afraid. 4) Keeping well, I hope. d. verb like must, but the subject before affirmative have, be or will cannot be dropped. For examples: 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? 1) Can’t do it. 2) Ready? 2) Haven’t seen him. 3) Your father got a car? 3) Won’t work, you know. 4) Anybody want more? 4) May see you tomorrow. 5) You be here 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.) 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. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 Ridwan ate a cheese sandwich and (Ridwan) drank a glass of coffee. 59 English Elliptical Construction 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. According to Quirk et al (1973: 251-253), 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 For examples: predicate or part of predicate can be deleted. a. I work in a factory, and my brother (works) on a farm. Examples: a. I am happy if you are (happy). b. She will study today, and she may (study) tomorrow. b. Mary is dusting the furniture because Alice won’t (dust the furniture). c. It’s cold in December in England, but (it is cold) in July in New Zealand. e. Arif is playing football for his school, and Yusuf (is playing football) for his club. Adi will take the course, and Udin might (take the course) too. Ellipsis of Direct Object or Subject Complement. For examples: a. b. c. 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 Example: 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. Hasan likes (Dewi), and Agus Examples: hates, Dewi. 1. Ismail was happy, and Rahmad certainly seemed so (happy). Nashir has recently become (a very diligent student), and his brother always was, a very diligent student. 60 The Kinds of Ellipsis Ellipsis of predicate or predication d. 3. 3. (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. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 English Elliptical Construction b) Verb less clauses Example: I caught the train.-just. Example: (= I caught the train. I only just caught the train) While (he was) at oxford, he was active in the dramatic society. In appended clause only part of the preceding or the interrupted clause constitutes the ellipsis, and an additional clause constituent 3) Post modification Post modifying clauses or clause or phrase is present: can often be considered relative clauses which are reduced: Example: They are meant to wound, perhaps to kill. a. Post modifying clauses (= They are meant to wound. They are perhaps meant to kill). Examples: 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 Example: The men (who were) responsible for the administration of the school refused to consider the matter. c. 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. Examples: Post modifying prepositional phrases 1) (I am) sorry I couldn’t be here. Example: 2) (I’ve) got to go now. He spoke to the girl (who was) from New York. 3) (You) had a good time? 4) Supplementing and appended clauses 4) (It’s) good to see you. 5) (Are you) looking for any body? A supplementing clause can be regarded as 6) (Is) Anything the matter? an elliptical clause (usually parenthetic or an after thought) for which the whole of the 7) (Does) Anybody need a lift? preceding or interrupted clause constitutes the ellipsis: Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 61 English Elliptical Construction 4. Ellipsis in dialogue According to Quirk et al (1973: 305-308), 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. Examples: A b. : Have you spoken to the doctor? B : spoken to (Yes). I have 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. the doctor him Expansion: The second speaker adds what has been said by the first speaker. Examples: 62 A : Will they lose the game? B : Probably (they will (lose (the game))). A : Peter will be there. B : Peter that will be there he Are you sure of that A : He won’t play. B : I’d like to know why he won' t play not Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 English Elliptical Construction c. d. Replacement: The second speaker replaces 3) Including repetition, expansion, with the new material to what has been said expansion, and replacement. by the first speaker. Example: Examples: A : They paid fifty dollars for it. A B : Oh no, they paid more : Who told your father? B : my father told him Mary 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 tonight. : No, they want it Combinations: 1) Including expansion and replacement. Examples: A B : When did he lose the key? : the key lost it he Probably did so last night. A : Can I help you, madam? B : Well, I’m looking for a pair of white gloves. 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 : John told me what you did. : what I did ? Who told you that consisting of post modifying clauses, post modifying adjective phrase, post modifying prepositional phrase, supplementing and appended clauses. Example: B CONCLUSION 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 2) Including repetition and replacement. A fifty than for it . that Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511 63 English Elliptical Construction REFERENCES Frank, Marcella. 1972. Modern English, A Practical Reference Guide. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. Mas’ud, Fuad. 1998. Essentials of English Grammar, a Practical Guide. Yogyakarta: BPFE. 64 Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum 1973. A University Grammar of England:Longman Group Ltd. English. Swan. Michael. 1980. Practical English Usage. Oxford : oxford University Press. Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010 ISSN 0215-9511