1

I found this sentence in Cambridge dictionary - I never get to see her now that she works somewhere else Does "that" mean "since" here ? I checked a few learner's dictionaries but could not find its meaning in this context.

Improve this question
1
  • Yes (or "as a consequence of", or "because"), but it's not just "that" which conveys that particular meaning but the whole expression "now that she works somewhere else". Cf. "I never get to see her because she now works somewhere else". Note that in your example, "that" is omissible.
    – BillJ
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 10:43

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

"now that" is a unit. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it is a conjunction. It combines time and reason. The sentence:

I never get to see her now that she works somewhere else.

could be broken down as follows:

Now she works somewhere else and as a result I never get to see her.

Improve this answer
11
  • I wouldn't say that "now that" is a "unit" (i.e. a compound coordinator) , since in many instances "that" is omissible. The preposition "now" governs the content clause, so in "I never get to see her [now that she works somewhere else] the bracketed element is a preposition phrase headed by the prep "now" with the content clause "that she works somewhere else" as its complement.
    – BillJ
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 10:17
  • @BillJ Some grammarians call "now that" (as well as other similar linkers) a multi-word or phrasal subordinating conjunction. Please see here, at the top of the page: books.google.com.ar/… Never heard of "now" as a preposition...
    – Gustavson
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 10:37
  • It can't be a 'compound conjunction' since "that" is very often omissible, as it is in the OP's example.
    – BillJ
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 10:47
  • @BillJ I see your point. We could say that, when present, "that" attaches to "now". One thing is clear: "that" does not have a separate meaning and needs "now" before it to work as a linking word expressing reason.
    – Gustavson
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 10:50
  • Yes, "now" governs the content clause -- unlike "that", it is not omissible. Btw, do you have a copy of CGEL?
    – BillJ
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 10:53

You must log in to answer this question.