how to parenthetically modify something which I don't know what it is?

Question

I'm trying to say something like

"X has something to do with Y (which I don't know what it is)".

Clearly, the expression in the parenthesis is awkward here. I'm trying to parenthetically modify the sentence by stating that I have no idea what Y is. I guess a less awkward way to say would be

"X has something to do with Y (which I've never encountered before)".

However, this does not exactly have the same meaning as what I'm trying to say. I'm trying to say that I have no idea what Y is. Anyone know a less awkward way to say this, while maintaining that original meaning exactly?

It's awkward because you have which and it. How about "(but I don't know what that is)" -- in that phrase you only reference "it" once. — Andrew Leach, Oct 06 '15 at 14:05
yeah, that works. However, "but I don't know what that is" is a complete sentence. I'm trying to go for something to the effect of: "McDonalds has french fries (which I like)". Is there really no way to do this with the action "not knowing what something is" rather than "like"? — xdavidliu, Oct 06 '15 at 14:17
OK... which I know nothing about. The thing is to have either the relative pronoun which or a real pronoun like it, not both. — Andrew Leach, Oct 06 '15 at 14:18
@AndrewLeach The reason it's awkward is that it's a wh- island — Araucaria - Him, Oct 06 '15 at 14:19
@AndrewLeach So we want to drop the it, but that's no good either ... — Araucaria - Him, Oct 06 '15 at 14:19
@xdavidliu which I don't know the identity of / which I am completely ignorant of perhaps? — Araucaria - Him, Oct 06 '15 at 14:21
yeah these all work I think, and are close enough to the original meaning. — xdavidliu, Oct 06 '15 at 14:22
If it's "Y" itself (and not the relationship/something to do with) that you don't know then I think you should stick with a "which" clause. Maybe "(which is unknown/unfamiliar to me)" would work. — Papa Poule, Oct 06 '15 at 14:22
'X has something to do with Y (of|about which I know nothing)' — Marv Mills, Oct 06 '15 at 14:27
Ah okay, I think I definitely prefer (which is unknown/unfamiliar to me). (of which I know nothing/am not familiar) works well too, though the phrase "of which" in general strikes me as little bit highfalutin for my tastes : ) — xdavidliu, Oct 06 '15 at 14:40

how to parenthetically modify something which I don't know what it is?

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