Syntactic Functions of Subordinate Clauses: A Comprehensive Guide

Syntactic Functions of Subordinate Clauses

Functional Classes

Nominal Subordinate Clauses

• More restricted than noun phrases
• No function as subject, object, complement, or prepositional complement
• Abstract
• Can be adjective complementation without preposition (e.g., I am not sure that...)
• Types:
  • That-zero that
  • Wh interrogative
  • Yes-no alternative interrogative clause
  • Exclamative
  • Relative
  • To infinitive
  • Ing
  • Bare infinitive
  • Verbless

Adverbial Subordinate Clauses

• Usually adjuncts, subjuncts, conjuncts, or disjuncts
• Adverb phrase or preposition phrase
• Types:
  • Time (finite adverbial, ing-until, to infinitive duration verb)
  • Place (where, wherever)
  • Conditional
    • Direct (if, unless)
    • Open or hypothetical
  • Concessive (though, while)
  • Contrast (while)
  • Rhetorical if (condition but obvious)
  • Alternative conditional (whether (clause) or (clause))
  • Exception (but that, except that)
  • Reason (because, for)
  • Purpose (in order, so as)
  • Result (so)
  • Similarity and comparison (as I said, as if (clause))
  • Proportion (as S v o, so S V s)
  • Comment (as you know, to be honest)

Relative Subordinate Clauses

• Restrictive or non-restrictive post modifiers
• Sentential (goes back to predicate or predication)

Comparative Subordinate Clauses

• Resemble adjectives or adverbs (e.g., S* has more Sth than S** have)

Complex Coordination

• Conjoins are units with strong parallelism
• Final position:
  • IO + DO (give, teach)
  • O + Oc (paint, elect, find)
  • O + Advl (drinks S* everyday, serve)
  • Advl + Advl (can, but)
• Other positions (interpolated):
  • Verb (is or was) (e.g., S admires but S** despises sth)
• Gapping:
  • S + O (e.g., S* wrote Sth and S a Sth)
  • S + Advl (e.g., S* V in Time and S in Time)
  • S + C (e.g., S*looked Sc and S** Sc)
• Appended:
  • Elliptical clause involving an element
  • Informal (e.g., S* V Sc and S** V too)
• Pseudo coordination:
  • Coordinate 2 verbs with idiomatic function (e.g., try and come, sat and talk)
  • 2 adjectives (second strengthens and can be an adverb) (e.g., nice and warm, hit o good and hard)
  • Two comparatives (express continuous increase) (e.g., more and more)
  • Two V or adv (express repetition) (e.g., talked and talked)
  • Two nouns (different kinds) (e.g., teachers and teachers)
  • Three nouns (large numbers) (e.g., dogs and dogs and dogs)

Quasi Coordination

• Comparative forms link a variety of constituents (e.g., more than, as much as)
• Quasi because in other positions express subordination

Coordination

• Conjoining of constituents of the same type by coordinators
• Linked to others that are parallel in form and function

Compound Sentences

• Two independent clauses being coordinated

Complex Sentences

• One independent clause and one or more dependent clauses joined by subordinating conjunction

Subordination

• Joined elements that are not at semantic and syntactic level