The complex sentence: general notion, subject clauses, predicative clauses, object clauses.

Subordination is usually defined as a non-symmetrical relation, that is, in a complex sentence with a minimal composition of two clauses, one is the basic element, whereas the other is a constituent or part of the first. The first one is called the main (or principal) clause, the second the subordinate clause.

Formal indicators of subordination (connectors)

Subordination is marked by some formal signals contained either in the subordinate clause (This is the newswhich he didn?t know; You should pardon John,as he didn?t know the rules; He was turning round the cornerwhen we saw him), or in both ? the main and the subordinate clause (He was as ignorantas any uneducated person is.The more he looked at the picture,the more he liked it).

These formal signals may be conjunctions or connectives.

Conjunctions are specialized formal devices (connectors) the only function of which is to link clauses and express the relation between them. They usually stand at the beginningof a subordinate clause.

Conjunctions may be one word-form (that, because, though, etc.), phrasal (in order that, providing that, for all that, so far as, etc.), or paired (or correlative, that is, correlated with some element(s) in the principal clause: as... as, such... as, etc.). Some conjunctions may be used in combination with particles (even if, even though, even when, just as, if only).

Connectives combine two functions - that of linking clauses and that of a part in the subordinate clause.

Connectives are subdivided intoconjunctive words (conjunctive subordinating pronouns and adverbs), which are used to joinnominal clausesandrelative words (pronouns and adverbs), used to join attributive clauses. Some conjunctive and relative words coincide in form, and it is therefore necessary to give some criterion according to which the two types can be distinguished.

The difference between conjunctive words and relative words lies in their role within the sentence or clause. In the case of conjunctive words the choice is determined by the structure and meaning of the subordinate clause itself:

I don?t know who he is. (who is a predicative: he is who)

I don?t know where he is. (where is an adverbial: he is where)

Some subordinating conjunctions are homonymous with prepositions (like, fill), some with both prepositions and adverbs (after, since, before). Some are homonymous with participles (supposing, provided), some resemble nouns and nominal phrases denoting time (the very moment, the next time, the instant, the second) or adverbs (immediately, directly, once).

Although the relationship of subordination requires only two members, a complex sentence may consist of more than two clauses. It may form a hierarchy of clauses. This is called consecutive or successive subordination.

I see [that you have lost the key (which I gave you)]

Accordingly the structure of the sentence is:

The main clause may have several subordinate clauses of equal rank, that is coordinated with one another. This kind of relationship is called parallel subordination or co-subordination, and the subordinate clauses are homogeneous.

I know that you are afraid of me and that you suspect me of something.

? 147. Subordination is used to join clauses with a different degree of interdependence or fusion, in the same way as parts of the sentence are joined to one another with a different intensity of connection. Therefore some clauses - subject, predicative, most object clauses - are obligatory for the completeness of main parts, which are otherwise deficient.

I think you are right ? ?I think?- obligatory

My opinion was that there was something behind ? optional

According to its syntactic function and the word it refers to, the subordinate clause may be placed before, after, or in the middle of the main clause. Punctuation also depends on these factors: if closely connected, a clause may be joined without any punctuation mark.

Semantically the main clause generally dominates the subordinate clause, as it contains the main information of the utterance. However, there are cases when one part is as important as the other, and even cases when the subordinate clause is the central informative part of the sentence and the main clause is less important, introductory, maintaining only the immediate communicative connection with the listener:

I asked him if he knew the man.

Complex sentences are classified according to the function of the subordinate clauses (that is, according to their meaning and position in relation to the main clause).

Date: 2016-06-12; view: 156