"when" functioning as a relative pronoun in a relative clause can only take the subject of the sentence?
like in this example
Recently documented examples of neurogenesis, the production of new brain cells, include the brain growing in mice when placed in a stimulating environment or neurons increasing in canaries that learn new songs
here when cannot refer to mice, because it's not the subject, I heard that in a manhattan video but "that" can remove the ambiguity, why is that?
both "that" and "when" are relative pronouns and both are attached to "in mice" then why is it that "that" can refer to mice but not "when"?
"when" in relative clauses
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- rohitchayal
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Just read the sentence carefully and check what can be the subject, You are referring it closest noun MICE, but what about far away noun " Brain ",
include the brain growing in mice when placed
Now ask yourself what is placed Brain or Mice : Can you clear that doubt, No, Ambiguity is there that it can refer to both. Is mice placed or Brain placed ?
When replaced by that, which refer to immediate Noun, we make confusions clear " that refer to Mice " and its not brain that is placed somewhere, its mice that is placed.
Hope i am able to solve to small extent your Doubt.
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include the brain growing in mice when placed
Now ask yourself what is placed Brain or Mice : Can you clear that doubt, No, Ambiguity is there that it can refer to both. Is mice placed or Brain placed ?
When replaced by that, which refer to immediate Noun, we make confusions clear " that refer to Mice " and its not brain that is placed somewhere, its mice that is placed.
Hope i am able to solve to small extent your Doubt.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giving thanks is a good to Thank