Classifications of Subordinate Clauses

The Status of the Subordinate Clause.

I. The General Notion of a Complex Sentence.

A complex sentence is a polypredicative unit built up on the principle of subordination. which varies from a close to a very loose connection with many gradations in between. The constituents of the complex sentence are traditionally called clauses. Transformationalists advanced the term “included structures” as the syntactically dependent part of the complex sentence is included (embedded) into the independent (non-included) structure.

The complex sentence of minimal composition includes two clauses – a principal clause and a subordinate clause. The two are interconnected, the very existence of either of them is supported by the existence of the other. Sub-clauses can adjoin the main clause or they can be embedded (included) into the main clause (We have engineered toys and gadgets wedon’t understand and technological terrors we may not be able to control (St. King).

The most accepted view is that a sub-clause is an explicitly predicative structure with a subject and a predicate. Many scholars hold that a clause needn’t have explicit predication (H. Poutsma, G.Curme, M.Bryant, R. Long, etc.). They treat participial, gerundial and infinitival complexes as undeveloped verbid sub-clauses (Timothy had left a lot of money, with nobody in particular to leave it to (J. Galsworthy). Prof. Y.G.Birenbaum treated participial, nounal, adjectival phrases introduced by the conjunctions while, unless, when, until as elliptical sub-clauses (He will continue talking until stopped. When traveling I have now and then watched the sunrise). We can transform these sentences into complex sentences with sub-clauses (Until they stopped him, he will continue talking. When I was traveling, I now and then watched the sunrise). Still most linguists find these formations merely phrases, carrying implicit predicative relations.

Sub-clauses are classified on two principles: functional and categorial. As to the functional principle, they are classed on the analogy with the parts of the simple sentence. They are likened to subjects, objects, adverbial modifiers, predicative and attributes. (People treated the old as if theywanted nothing. Compare it with People treated the old with neglect). But there are clauses which do not correspond to the members of the simple sentence. Such are continuative attributive clauses (She makes me feel happy, which you have never done (I.Murdoch). Such are complement sub-clauses (It’s in Paris where we met). Such are contaminated clauses (It was as if he had been younger every spring. J. Galsworthy ). The clause underlined is a result of contamination of a predicative clause and an adverbial clause of unreal comparison. In accord with the categorical principle, sub-clauses are classed into nounal, adjectival and adverbial clauses, as here they are likened to the classes of words (nouns, adjectives and adverbs). Both principles are mutually complementary.

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