Complex sentence. Structural and functional classification

Compound sentence. Logico-semantic relations between clauses.

Coordinate clauses are units of equivalent syntactic status. Each of them has the force of an independent statement (proposition).

Main types of logico-semantic relations between coordinate clauses are copulative, adversative, disjunctive, causative, consecutive. They can be also found between simple sentences. This has given cause to some scholars to deny the existence of a compound sentence as a special structural type and treat it as a sequence of simple sentences. This idea is usually rejected, as a compound sentence is a semantic, grammatical and intonational unity. Each coordinate clause functions as part of this unity.

As coordination reflects the logical sequence of thought, the order of coordinate clauses is usually fixed: He came at 5 and we had dinner together.

The opening clause is most independent structurally, the following clauses may be to a certain extent dependent on the first clause - they may be elliptical, may contain anaphoric pronouns, etc.

Coordinating conjunctions and meanings rendered by them are described in Practical Grammar.

The classification of complex sentences is usually based on the classification of subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses are classified either on analogy with classes of words (structural classification) or on analogy with parts of the sentence (functional classification).

Structural classification. Clauses are subdivided into

- noun clauses (substantive clauses),

- adjective clauses,

- adverb clauses, etc.

But as words of the same class may perform different syntactic functions, the functional classification seems preferable. A subordinate clause can occupy any position but that of the predicate (though it may fill in the position of the predicative). There is no complete similarity between parts of the sentence and subordinate clauses. Especially this is the case with adverbial clauses.

There is a correlation between structural and functional classifications.

Accordingly to the type of clausal connection (close or loose, obligatory or optional) complex sentences may be:

The classification of complex sentences may be also based on the type of clausal connection, which may be close or loose, obligatory or optional.

Sentences with obligatory clausal connection:

1) Sentences with Subject and Predicative clauses. The subordinate clause occupies a syntactic position in the predication. It is fused, or merged with the principal clause, which is incomplete semantically and structurally: What you say is true.

2) Sentences with Object clauses. The subordinate clause is obligatory due to the obligetory valency of the predicate verb in the main clause.

3) Sentences in which there are correlative elements in both main and subordinate clauses (hardly... when; as... as; the more... the more): He was so tired, that...

Some attributive and adverbial clauses are loosely connected with the main clause and may be optional.

Composite sentences may include a number of coordinate and subordinate clauses.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-29