Jespersen on Double Restriction in Relation to a Contact­Clause

Abstract

Double restriction and the contact-clause are among the ingenious grammatical terms coined by Jespersen to refer respectively to the process in which the first of the two consecutive relative clauses restricts its antecedent in the main clause while the second restricts the whole string consisting of the original antecedent plus the first relative clause, and a clause in the paratactic construction with a zero subject or object relativizer. The following sentences each illustrate the terms: (1) I heard of an Egyptian That had nine hours lien dead, Who was by good appliance recovered. (1607-8 Shakespeare Pericles III.ii.84-86) (2) I have a brother ( ) is condemn'd to die; (1604 Shakespeare Measure for Measure II. ii. 34) [Blank parentheses denote a zero relativizer.] Concerning double restriction vis-à-vis a contact-clause, Jespersen (MEG, III: sects. 4.52., 4.53.) makes two notable claims: i) A contact-clause is naturally excluded in the second place. ii) Double restriction is particularly frequent after a negative expression. The purpose of my paper is to examine the validity of these claims of Jespersen's based on the evidence gathered from the English of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.