The sentence ‘This sort of art, we learn in childhood, is meant to excite laughter, that to provoke our tears’ presents a structure that can be a bit confusing at first glance. One of the main points of confusion is why the phrase ‘we learn in childhood’ does not seem to modify the noun ‘art’. In this article, we will break down the structure of the sentence and explain why ‘we learn in childhood’ is placed as it is and why it doesn’t directly affect the meaning of ‘art’.
Understanding the Structure of the Sentence
The sentence consists of two clauses: ‘This sort of art is meant to excite laughter, that to provoke our tears’ and ‘we learn in childhood’. The first clause expresses the purpose of the art, which is to evoke certain emotional reactions. The second clause, ‘we learn in childhood’, is an embedded relative clause, but it is not directly modifying ‘art’. Instead, it functions more as an explanatory element that provides additional context to the speaker’s experience.
In simpler terms, the phrase ‘we learn in childhood’ is not part of the noun phrase ‘art’, but instead adds background information to clarify when the art is typically learned.
Why ‘We～Childhood’ Doesn’t Modify ‘Art’
In English grammar, certain phrases or clauses can function as relative clauses, but they need to be placed directly before the noun they modify. In this case, ‘we learn in childhood’ is separated from ‘art’ by the main clause, which breaks the connection between the two. Instead of acting as a modifier for ‘art’, the clause ‘we learn in childhood’ serves as an additional detail that helps explain the context of how ‘art’ is experienced.
The sentence could potentially be restructured to make ‘we learn in childhood’ more directly connected to ‘art’. For example: ‘The art that we learn in childhood is meant to excite laughter and provoke our tears’. In this version, ‘the art that we learn in childhood’ forms a clear modifier, and there is no ambiguity about the relationship between the two elements.
Contextual Meaning of the Sentence
Understanding the intention behind the sentence also helps clarify the structure. The speaker is explaining that the type of art they are referring to (likely a form of simple, emotive art) is learned in childhood. The goal of this type of art is to elicit laughter or tears. By separating ‘we learn in childhood’ from ‘art’, the sentence emphasizes the emotional impact of the art itself, rather than the specific time it is learned.
In this case, the sentence functions more as a reflection on the nature of art, rather than as a strict grammatical explanation about when or how it is learned.
Conclusion
The structure of the sentence ‘This sort of art, we learn in childhood, is meant to excite laughter, that to provoke our tears’ can be confusing at first, but understanding how relative clauses work in English grammar helps clarify why ‘we learn in childhood’ does not modify ‘art’. The sentence is better understood as providing context for when the art is learned, rather than describing the art itself. If you wanted the clause to modify ‘art’ directly, a slight restructuring would be necessary.
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