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I'm wondering if this sentence

Optical fibres, which are made from very pure silica fibre, are the form of transmission line which is most often used these days.

that the relative clause is which is most often used these days (if I'm not wrong).

So I have three guess to reduce:

1.- most often used these days

2.- being most often used these days

3.- no possibility to reduce

What is the correct guess? And why?

Skizo-ozᴉʞS ツ
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    There are two relative clauses in this sentence. Both start with which. Both can be reduced by Whiz-Deletion, deleting which are and which is. – John Lawler Oct 26 '15 at 21:40
  • I didn't put "which are made" because it's a "noun modifying clause" and I thought that it couldn't be reduced. Thanks anyway :) – Skizo-ozᴉʞS ツ Oct 26 '15 at 21:43
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    They're both "noun modifying clauses"; relative clauses are the most common kind of clause modifying noun phrases. The which are made clause modifies the noun phrase optical fibres and the which is most clause modifies the noun phrase the form of transmission line. BTW, do not trust that rule that you thought, nor whoever told it to you. – John Lawler Oct 26 '15 at 21:50
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    Oh sorry I miss-typed, I meant "non-defining relative clauses", by the way you can add an answer so I can mark it as a correct. – Skizo-ozᴉʞS ツ Oct 26 '15 at 21:51
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    Ah, there we go. Yes, that's a synonym for non-restrictive or supplementary relative clauses. And they can in fact be reduced, though they're usually called "appositives" or "adverbial clauses" then; the comma phrase breaks are vitally important if the lexical markers are removed by Whiz-Deletion. And the distinction between the two kinds of relatives might in fact not be so clear as we think, as Mark Liberman points out. – John Lawler Oct 26 '15 at 21:58
  • I see... Anyways thanks for your time, and as I said you can post an answer on this thread that I'll accept it. – Skizo-ozᴉʞS ツ Oct 26 '15 at 22:03
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    I wouldn't delete the first "which are", as I think it risks changing the meaning of the sentence. "Optical fibres, made from very pure silica fibre,..." suggests that there may be other optical fibres, made in a different way. The original suggests very strongly that all optical fibres are made the same way. – JHCL Oct 26 '15 at 23:18

1 Answers1

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Optical fibres, which are made from very pure silica fibre, are the form of transmission line which is most often used these days.

John Lawler has answered in comments. So that this question does not remain on the unanswered list, I'll answer and add my own thought on further reduction.

Quote: There are two relative clauses in this sentence. Both start with which. Both can be reduced by Whiz-Deletion, deleting which are and which is. John Lawler

I would point out that 'most often' is somewhat redundant and so the sentence could become, e.g.

Optical fibres, which are made from very pure silica fibre, are the most-used form of transmission line these days.

Whether that is an improvement, I'll let others judge. It's certainly shorter.

chasly - supports Monica
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