Analyzing Syntax & Semantics Textbook: A Self-Instructional Approach for Teachers and Clinicians

CHAPTER 15 Subordination

CHAPTER 15 Subordination Propositions may be linked in the surface structure to express meaning relationships such as time, location, manner, concession; cause and effect relationships; and conditional relationships. The resulting sentences will consist of an independent clause and a dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction. Since there are a number of important relationships that may be expressed, and since these relationships represent concepts acquired at varying stages, conjoining with subordinating conjunctions has been separated into three units: adverbial clauses (time, location, etc.), conditional clauses, and causal clauses. Unit 1: Adverbial Clauses--Time, Location, Manner, Concession Objectives • Define dependent clause • Identify the subordinating conjunctions and the dependent clauses in sentences • Specify the relationships or meanings in sentences joined with subordinators • Label the constituents of sentences with adverbial clauses • Indicate whether adverbial clauses in given sentences are preposed • Identify adverbial clauses in sentences as denoting time, duration, manner, location, or concession When one proposition indicates the time, location, or manner in which another proposition occurred, the two may be linked with such subordinating conjunctions as when, where, and as if. The subordinator introduces a dependent clause, which may not be used alone as a sentence. In all instances, the two propositions, if not syntactically expressed with a subordinator, could be uttered or written one after the other. Conjoining with a subordinator allows a language user to convey more information in one sentence, as was the case with sentences conjoined with coordinating and correlative conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs. 135 136 SUBORDINATION Adverbial Clauses of Time When one of the propositions indicates the time at which the other occurred, the duration or frequency subordinating conjunctions (e.g., when, whenever, after, before, as, until, while, and since) are used to join the two. Some of the subordinators may contain more than one word-as soon as, as long as, and now that. lime: Duration: Mother cried when the boys left. Chun walks the dog before he eats dinner. Betty has played golf since she was nine years old. Mother shopped until Dad got off work. Frequency: The baby cries whenever the doorbell rings. Fernando will talk about politics as often as anyone will listen. In all of the sentences, the first clause is independent and the second is dependent. When the boys left, as well as the other dependent clauses, cannot be used alone as a sentence. These clauses serve as adverbials in the sentence, stating the time, place, etc., of the action of the main verb in the independent clause. One can analyze the structure of sentences with dependent clauses as follows: NPI V NpZ Adv Betty / has played / golf / since she was nine years old. NP V Adv Mother / shopped / until Dad got off work. Adverbial clauses of time may be shifted to the front of the sentence, as is the case with temporal phrases. This may be done when one wishes to put more emphasis on the time or duration. Until Dad got off work, Mother shopped. Before he eats dinner, Chun walks the dog. (or) Before Chun eats dinner, he walks the dog. When the two clauses contain the same subject, the pronominalization transformation is applied. The pronominalization may be forward or backward if the referent of the pronoun is clear to the listener or reader. In the second sentence, the pronominalization is backward: the pronoun occurs in the first clause and its referent, Chun, is in the second clause. Forward pronominalization, as in the third sentence, is easier to comprehend for those having problems with pronoun reference. Also, there is less opportunity for confusion about the referent. In the second sentence it is possible that the he refers to the dog. ADVERBIAL CLAUSES-TIME, LOCATION, MANNER, CONCESSION 137 Children use adverbial clauses of time that begin with when prior to subordinating with before, after, and until. The use of when clauses, however, is preceded by earlier forms of expressing temporal order, such as through coordination with and, or, and then (Kretschmer & Kretschmer, 1978). Adverbial Clauses of Location An adverbial clause may indicate location, in which case the subordinating conjunctions where and wherever may be used. Jack put the box where Sue wouldn't find it. Tad parked the camper where it would be safe. The dog left dirty footprints wherever it walked. There are restrictions on the movement of locative clauses using where; therefore, the adverbial preposing transformation often may not be applied. Those clauses introduced by...