Clauses: Difference between revisions
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== The Clausal Category S == | == The Clausal Category S == | ||
The distribution of S | === The distribution of S === | ||
A clause (S) can occur in the following environments: | A clause (S) can occur in the following environments: | ||
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* S follows a subordinate conjunction: <span style="color: blue>[Pat arrived before [<sub>S</sub> we were fully prepared.]]</span> | * S follows a subordinate conjunction: <span style="color: blue>[Pat arrived before [<sub>S</sub> we were fully prepared.]]</span> | ||
The internal structure of S | === The internal structure of S === | ||
Obligatory elements: | Obligatory elements: | ||
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* There may be adverbials at the beginning of S (<span style="color: blue>Last night Pat didn't sleep well., Wisely, Pat locked the door before going to bed., According to recent studies, Germans drink more coffee than beer.</span>) | * There may be adverbials at the beginning of S (<span style="color: blue>Last night Pat didn't sleep well., Wisely, Pat locked the door before going to bed., According to recent studies, Germans drink more coffee than beer.</span>) | ||
Complementizer-introduced sentences | === Complementizer-introduced sentences === | ||
English has 3 words whose function it is to mark that a clause is subordinate: <span style="color: blue>that, whether, if</span>. | English has 3 words whose function it is to mark that a clause is subordinate: <span style="color: blue>that, whether, if</span>. | ||
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* The complementizer <span style="color: blue>if</span> also introduces conditional subordinate clauses: <span style="color: blue>[<sub>S</sub> If [<sub>S</sub> Pat is ill]], we won't hold the picnic.</span> | * The complementizer <span style="color: blue>if</span> also introduces conditional subordinate clauses: <span style="color: blue>[<sub>S</sub> If [<sub>S</sub> Pat is ill]], we won't hold the picnic.</span> | ||
=== Special sentence types === | |||
* In constituent questions, the first constituent of a sentence typically is either | |||
** a question word: <span style="color: blue>Pat knows [<sub>S</sub> <u>what</u> [<sub>S</sub> Kim is reading at the moment]].</span> or | |||
** a phrase containing a question word: <span style="color: blue>Pat knows [<sub>S</sub> <u>which book</u> [<sub>S</sub> Kim is reading at the moment]].</span> | |||
the | * In relative clauses, the first constituent of a sentence typically is either: | ||
** a relative pronoun: <span style="color: blue>Pat knows the author [<sub>S</sub> <u>who</u> [<sub>S</sub> Kim talks about all the time]].</span> or | |||
** a phrase containing a relative pronoun: <span style="color: blue>Pat knows the author [<sub>S</sub> <u>whose most recent book</u> [<sub>S</sub> Kim is reading at the moment]].</span> | |||
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Latest revision as of 09:43, 26 April 2017
The Clausal Category S
The distribution of S
A clause (S) can occur in the following environments:
- S can occur as an independent declarative clause: [S Pat is ill.]
- S follows a complementizer: [Sandy thinks that [S Pat is ill.]]
- S follows a subordinate conjunction: [Pat arrived before [S we were fully prepared.]]
The internal structure of S
Obligatory elements:
- S must contain a verb
- S must contain a subject. Usually this is an NP (in nominative case), but it can also be an S ([S That Kim is always late] bothered Pat enormously.) or a VP[inf] ([VP[inf]To have missed the soccer game] bothered Pat enormously.)
Optional elements:
- There may be adverbials at the beginning of S (Last night Pat didn't sleep well., Wisely, Pat locked the door before going to bed., According to recent studies, Germans drink more coffee than beer.)
Complementizer-introduced sentences
English has 3 words whose function it is to mark that a clause is subordinate: that, whether, if.
- The complementizer that introduces declarative subordinate clauses: Pat thinks [S that [S Sandy smokes]].
- The complementizers whether and if introduce interrogative subordinate clauses: Pat asked [S whether [S Sandy smokes]].
- The complementizer if also introduces conditional subordinate clauses: [S If [S Pat is ill]], we won't hold the picnic.
Special sentence types
- In constituent questions, the first constituent of a sentence typically is either
- a question word: Pat knows [S what [S Kim is reading at the moment]]. or
- a phrase containing a question word: Pat knows [S which book [S Kim is reading at the moment]].
- In relative clauses, the first constituent of a sentence typically is either:
- a relative pronoun: Pat knows the author [S who [S Kim talks about all the time]]. or
- a phrase containing a relative pronoun: Pat knows the author [S whose most recent book [S Kim is reading at the moment]].
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