ambiguous sentence

01-14-2007, 10:32 PM

>"By the late nineteenth century a still widespread respect for
>brähmanas was increasingly overshadowed by growing awareness of the
>evils of the unmalleable and exploitive caste system, for which
>brähmanas, as its principle beneficiaries, were largely held
>culpable."
>
>'Culpable' refers to 'evils,' so 'which' ambiguously refers to both
>'evils' and 'exploitive caste system.'
>
>How should this be rewritten?
>
>Flummoxed, BVS

I'd say one would look towards "caste system" as the natural
antecedent. But even if one looks towards "evils," the evils go with
the system, so no confusion arises.

Change "principle" to "principal," and you should be okay.