He politely made no reference to my untidy appearance

[GoldfishLord]

reference​

1 COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE a comment that mentions someone or something
reference to:

• The title is apparently a reference to the singer’s brother.

make a/no reference to:

• He politely made no reference to my untidy appearance.

Source: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/reference_1?q=Reference+

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I think that "He politely made no reference to my untidy appearance" is analyzed in the following way:
He / politely / made no reference to / my untidy appearance.
So I don't think that "reference to my untidy appearance" is not a noun phrase but that "a reference to the singer’s brother" is a noun phrase.

Am I right?

 

[Tarheel]

I don't think you meant to say what you said. Anyhow, you're at least half right.

 

[Amigos4]

So I don't think that "reference to my untidy appearance" is not a noun phrase but that "a reference to the singer’s brother" is a noun phrase.

Does your sentence look correct to you?

 

[GoldfishLord]

I don't think you meant to say what you said. Anyhow, you're at least half right.

What do you mean by "half right"?

Does your sentence look correct to you?

No, I don't.

 

[Tarheel]

He made no reference to my untidy appearance -- He didn't comment on my untidy appearance.

A half of something is one of two equal parts.

 

[GoldfishLord]

reference​

1 COUNTABLE/UNCOUNTABLE a comment that mentions someone or something
reference to:

• The title is apparently a reference to the singer’s brother.

make a/no reference to:

• He politely made no reference to my untidy appearance.

Source: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/reference_1?q=Reference+

---

I think that "He politely made no reference to my untidy appearance" is analyzed in the following way:
He / politely / made no reference to / my untidy appearance.
So I think that "reference to my untidy appearance" is not a noun phrase.

Is "reference to my untidy appearance" a noun phrase?

 

[Tarheel]

@GoldfishLord Two things. One, it's analyzed that way because that's the way you analyzed it. Two, if it's not a noun phrase then what is it?

 

[jutfrank]

The noun phrase is: no reference to my untidy appearance.

 

[Barque]

I think that "He politely made no reference to my untidy appearance" is analyzed in the following way:
He / politely / made no reference to / my untidy appearance.

You can read it as:
He was polite enough not to make any reference to my untidy appearance.
or
Out of politeness, he didn't make any reference to my untidy appearance.

The implied meaning is "He pretended he hadn't noticed my untidy appearance (and spoke to me as if I looked normal)".

 

[emsr2d2]

Does your sentence look correct to you?

No, I don't it doesn't.