Syntactic content of syntagms

The functions of syntagm

The syntagm has very important functions in language. Syntagms are distinguished in connected speech by significant speech patterns. The principle functions of syntagm are semantic and syntactic.

Its semantic function may be proved by the following: the meaning of two sentences may depend entirely on the syntagmatic division, for example:

He would 'have his 'coffee and 'roll in the ˎmorning.

He would 'have his ˏcoffee | and ˎroll in the morning.

Thus we find that syntagms are responsible for the meaning they carry as well as for the syntactic structure of the sentences.

Another important function is to emphasize the rhythmical construction of verse. Syntagms with the lines of the verses are closely connected in function. For example, two syntagms can make up one line of the verse. Syntagms not only arrange the poem into several verses or lines but also emphasize the meaning.

Academician Vinogradov dwells upon important relations between syntagms and the members of a sentence in the Russian language. He points out that syntagms are not fixed and unchangeable phenomena, but they are formed in the process of speaking, they depend on the meaning of what is being spoken, on the construction of sentences as well as on the syntactical structure of each particular language as a whole.

What interests us here is the syntactic content of syntagms. Some linguists have tried to prove that a syntagm syntactically corresponds to one member of the sentence. That is indeed very often the case but not always. The content of syntagms is not stable, it depends on many conditions. It is possible to analyze the syntactic content of an English syntagm almost exactly and to state what it can or cannot be. We can come to certain conclusions.

1) Syntagms do not represent one particularly syntactic category. It may consist of a number of words, one word or even of an interjection (e.g. Oh!).

2) A syntagm may coincide with the clause either principle or subordinate (e.g. I was in a hurry,| so I took a taxi.).

3) The subject group and the predicate group usually form a separate syntagm (e.g. The supremacy of his political genius| was entirely beyond question.).

4) A syntagm may coincide with one member of a sentence: enumeration, detachments, homogeneous members also require separate syntagms.

5) A syntagm may contain two clauses. This is the case with object-clauses. They are included in the same syntagm as the main clause (e.g. When they 'arrived at the ˏstation | they 'found that the 'train had ˎgone.).

6) A syntagm cannot be composed of more than one complete sentence.

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