A noun whose meaning is broad may have two appositives, specific in meaning, joined by or and introduced by whether; as, “There is always something to see about a church, whether living worshipers or dead men’s tombs.”—Stevenson.
Case and Number of the Noun in Apposition.—The appositive noun is usually in the same case as the noun it explains, but often when it is joined to a possessive noun, the possessive case ending is dropped from the first noun for the sake of euphony, and added only to the appositive.
In number an appositive usually agrees with its noun, but not always; for example, “The priests were each devoted to the service of some particular deity.”
Position of the Appositive Phrase.—Usually the appositive follows immediately the group of words it explains; but sometimes the two are separated by intervening words; thus, “These votive pictures are no less interesting as works of art than as expressions of hopeless superstition.”—Howells.
Sometimes the appositive begins a sentence; as,
“One burnished sheet of living gold,
Loch Katrine lay beneath him rolled.”—Scott.
“Calm, strong, and nobly aglow with love of country, he has no need of going into paroxysms in order to prove his sincerity.”—Boyesen.
Exercise 29
Dispose of all appositives in the following sentences.