Semantics

Do you think there is a difference between the following sentences?

• I don't think people will buy a book written by a lunatic.
• I don't think people will buy a book they think is written by a lunatic.
• I don't think people will buy a book written by someone whom they think is a lunatic.

From a technical standpoint, I can't say for certain.

In my own opinion, though, the second and third sentences convey the same thing while the first is different.

The way I read it is that it's being said as fact that the author of the book is a lunatic with the first sentence, and the other two are saying that it's a person's own opinion that the person that wrote the book is a lunatic.

I personally think people on Gamespot get aroused at the opportunity to argue over semantics. I say tread lightly with this one, BlueRay.

The first one means he actually is a lunatic. The other two are their opinions of the author, it may or may not actually be true.

Why wouldn't someone buy a book written by someone who is or thought to be a lunatic?

All 3 sentences imply something different, The first is an objective statement, The second is an assumption of the person in question as well as a beleif that such a person is a lunatic. The third is a belief that a specific person is believed to be a lunatic.

Rephrasing those sentences, I get the following:

1. In my opinion, no one will buy a book written by a lunatic

2. In my opinion, no one will buy a book that they believe to be written by a lunatic.

3. In my opinion, no one will buy a book written by a person they believe to be a lunatic.

The only sentence that is significantly different is 1. 2 and 3 are essentially the same. 3 would be different if the phrase "a person they believe to be a lunatic" were changed to "a person, whom they believe to be a lunatic." In that revision, the noun doesn't have an adjectival clause attached to it. That is, the fact that the person is a lunatic is not essential to understanding that person's identity. So the sentence would mean something like "In my opinion, no one will buy a book written by a person, whom they believe to be a lunatic."

it's the SATs all over again.mrmusicman247

wait, does this mean no one is gonna buy my book??Allicrombie

[QUOTE="Allicrombie"]wait, does this mean no one is gonna buy my book??mitu123

[QUOTE="mitu123"]

[QUOTE="Allicrombie"]wait, does this mean no one is gonna buy my book??Allicrombie