The Complex Sentences with Mutually Subordinated Clauses

This kind of complex sentences is of isomorphic nature. Such sentences usually consist of two clauses mutually subordinating each other. Hence, it is impossible to state which of the clauses is the main (subordinating) and which is the subordinate one. The kind of proportional relationship of equivalence between the clauses can be observed in the complex sentences expressing in English and Ukrainian the adverbial meanings of degree, result or time. The two former types of clauses are joined by the connectors "so", "so...so", by the conjunction "as", or by the correlating particles the...the, corresponding to the Ukrainian як...так, куди...туди, що/чим більше... то/тим більше. Cf.

As the tree falls, so shall it lie. (Proverb) Як дерево впаде, так воно й лежатиме.

Both clauses in the English and Ukrainian sentences above express an adverbial meaning of manner (attendant circumstances) answering the question: "how does the tree fall and how shall it lie?" The clauses depend on each other grammatically and semantically, neither of them exercising a subordinating power. Hence, one can reconstruct, i. e. transform the sentence without changing its syntactic status: So shall it (the tree) lie,as it falls.

Subordinate only are also clauses expressing comparison as in the following English sentence and its Ukrainian equivalent:

The more I knew of the inmates of Чим більше я дізнавався про жителів Moor House, the better I liked them. Болотного Дому, тим більше вони (Bronte) подобались мені.

The mutually subordinated clauses expressing temporal relations can be introduced in the initial and in the succeeding clauses by the following correlating pairs of connectors: no sooner...than, scarcely...when/before, hardly I just...when and others. Their corresponding Ukrainian connectives are ледве...як, як тільки....як/коли, не...як. Eg:

Hardly have we got into the country, He встигли ми виїхати за місто, як

when it began to rain. (S. Chaplin) розпочався дощ/Ледве встигли ми

виїхати за місто, як почався дощ.

Nell had scarcely settled herself on Ледве Нел схилила голову на

a little heap of straw in the corner, купку соломи в кутку, як вона

when she fell asleep for the first time вперше за цілу добу заснула. that day. (Dickens)