Como propósito de inicio de año (sí, de esos que nunca se cumplen!) he decidido escribir lo que sea que me tenga ocupado en el momento, por más banal que sea e incluso apelando al infinite monkey theorem, pero necesito llenar este espacio...
USAGE In U.S. English, it is usually recommended that which be employed only for nonrestrictive (or nonessential) clauses: :the horse, which is in the paddock, is six years old (the : which clause contains a nonessential fact, noted in passing; the horse would be six years old wherever it was). A : that clause is restrictive (or essential), as it identifies a particular thing: : the horse that is in the paddock is six years old (not any horse, but the one in the paddock).
USAGE 1 The word that can be omitted in standard English where it introduces a subordinate clause, as in : she said (that) she was satisfied. That can also be dropped in a relative clause where it is the object of the clause, as in : the book (that) I've just written.That, however, is obligatory when it is the subject of the relative clause, as in : the company that employs Jack. 2 It is sometimes argued that, in relative clauses, that should be used for nonhuman references and who should be used for human references: : a house that overlooks the park, but : the woman who lives next door. In practice, while it is true to say that who is restricted to human references, the function of that is flexible. It has been used for both human and nonhuman references since at least the 11th century. In standard English, it is interchangeable with who in this context. 3 Is there any difference between the use of thatand which in sentences such as : any book that gets children reading is worth having, and : any book which gets children reading is worth having ? The general rule is that, in restrictive relative clauses, where the relative clause serves to define or restrict the reference to the particular one described, that is the preferred relative pronoun. However, in nonrestrictive relative clauses, where the relative clause serves only to give additional information, which must be used: : this book, which is set in the last century, is very popular with teenagers, but not : this book, that is set in the last century, is very popular with teenagers.
USAGE What is the difference between : the books that were on the table once belonged to my aunt and : the books, which were on the table,once belonged to my aunt ? In the first sentence, the speaker uses the relative clause to pick out specific books (i.e., the ones on the table) in contrast with all others. In the second sentence, the location of the books referred to is unaffected by the relativeclause: the speaker merely offers the additional information that the books happened to be on the table. This distinction isbetween restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses. In speech, the difference is usually expressed by a difference inintonation. In writing, a restrictive relative clause is not set off by commas, and : that is the preferred subject or object of the clause, although many writers use : which and : who or : whom for such clauses. A nonrestrictive clause is set off within commas, and : which,: who, or : whom, not : that, is the relative pronoun to use as the subject or object of the verb of the clause. Without a comma, the clause in : please ask any member of the staff who will be pleased to help is restrictive and therefore implies contrast with another set of staff who will not be pleased to help. It is almost certain that the appropriate intention of such a clause would be nonrestrictive —therefore, a comma is needed before who ( : . . . any member of the staff, who will be pleased . . .)
Pues sí, y qué. A ver si así no se me olvida... (vía Dictionary)
