2017-11-01
509
In a compound sentence syntactic units combined by means of coordination are regarded as independent: there is no hierarchy in the syntactic relationship. It is based on the symmetric relationship of coordination. For example:
· (1) All the rooms were brightly lighted, (2) all the tiny nooks were beautifully decorated, (3) but there seemed to be complete silence in the house.
In this sentence the first two clauses are joined asyndetically and the third is introduced by means of the coordinating conjunction but. It can be graphically represented in the following way:
1-2; asyndetic coordination
2-3: syndetic coordination
A complex sentence is based on a hierarchical syntactic structure and has asymmetrical relationship of subordination. For example:
· (1) I want you to sit here beside me and listen to (2) what I am going to say.
In this sentence the first clause (1) is an independent main clause and the second (2) object clause is grammatically dependent upon it. It can be graphically represented in the following way:
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1-main clause
2-subordinate clause
ARRANGEMENT OF DEPENDENT CLAUSES
If a sentence has two or more dependent clauses, they can be arranged in various ways. Dependent clauses can be homogeneous. For example:
· (1) A classic is something (2) that everybody wants to have read (3) and nobody wants to read.
This sentence can be graphically represented in the following way:
Secondly, a dependent clause may be subordinated directly to the main clause, thus becoming a clause of first degree of subordination, or another dependent clause, in which case it becomes a clause of third degree of subordination. For example:
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· I sometimes wonder (2) how you behave (3) when you are alone.
(1) – main clause
(2) - object subordinate clause (1st degree of subordination)
(3) - adverbial clause of time (2nd degree of subordination)
Pattern of syntactic analysis
· (1) Of course, he read the reviews, (2) but he read summarily, without paying much attention, (3) till he came to the remarks (4) the critics made about him.
This is a compound-complex sentence. The independent clauses are: (1) “ Of course, he read the reviews ”… and (2) …" but he read summarily, without paying much attention ". They are linked by means of adversative coordination expressed by the conjunction but. The second independent clause has two subordinate clauses – (3) “… till he came to the remarks ” (an adverbial clause of time, of the first degree of subordination, joined by means of the conjunction till) and (4) “… the critics made about him ” (an attributive relative limiting clause of the second degree of subordination, joined asyndetically).
Study the graphical representation of this sentence structure:
1 & 2 – independent clauses connected by adversative conjunction but
3 – adverbial clause of time (1st degree of subordination)
4 – attributive relative limiting clause (2nd degree of subordination)
· (1) The travelers were so tired (2) and the day was so gloomy (3) that there was no point in moving any further.
· (1) No one can tell me, (2) nobody knows, (3) where the wind comes from, (4) where the wind goes.
1& 2 – independent clauses (asyndetic connection)
3&4 – homogeneous object clauses (asyndetic connection)
PUNCTUATION
