“There being” is allegedly an absolute phrase. Moreover, because “there being” is the present participle of “there be”, I'd like to learn how to parse/unravel “there be”, to determine/deduce this definition de novo. Please explain the steps or thought process as well, so that I may do this by myself in the future.
For example, this page on absolute phrases says that “an absolute phrase combines a noun. . .”. What's the noun here? Are there any grammatical terms that describe this use of “there”? To what does this “there” refer?
However, [. . .] merely submitting a derogation would not have solved the shortcoming as, in any event, the provisions of the Act were disproportionate, there being no reasonable relationship between the means employed and the aims sought to be pursued by the State.
Source: p 60, The English Legal System 2012-2013, Gary Slapper