36.Semi-compound sentences

The semi-comp.s. - is a semi-composite sen-ce built up on the principle of coordination. The structure of the s.-c.s. is derivationally to be traced back to minimum 2 base sen-s, leaving an identical element belonging to one or both of their principal syntactic positions, either the subject or the predicate, or both. A sen-ce possessing coordinated notional parts is to be treated as semi-compound.

The semi-compound s-s of predicate coordination is derived from minimum 2 base sen-s having identical subjects. By the act of semi-compounding one of the base sen-s in most cases of textual occurrence becomes the leading clause of complete structure, while the other one is transformed into a sequential coordinate semi-clause referring to the same subject. By the number of bases joined s.-c.s-s. may be 2-base or multi-base. The coordinated expansion is connected with the leading part either syndectically or asyndectically. Of all the diversified means of connecting base s-s into a semi-comp. construction the most important & broadly used is the conjunction AND.

The number of predicative parts in a s.-c.s. is balanced against the context in which it is used & naturally is an essential feature of its structure.

This number may be 7,8 or more.

The connection types of multi-base s.-c. S-s are: syndectic, asyndectic, mixed.

37. Compound sentences

The compound sentence is a composite sentence built on the principle of coordination (a way of linking grammatical elements to make them equal in rank). Coordination, the same as subordination, can be expressed either syndetically (by means of coordinative connectors) or asyndetically. Syndetic coordination is realized with a number of connectors — conjunctions, such as and, but, or, nor, for, etc or with conjunctive adverbs, such as moreover, besides, however, yet, still, otherwise, therefore, etc.

The number of clauses in a compound sentence may of course be greater than two, and in that case the conjunctions uniting the clauses may be different the second clause may be joined to the first by one conjunction, while the third is joined to the second by another, and so forth. Features, which distinguish if from the complex sentence:

1. the opening clause mostly plays the leading role, and each successive clause is joined to the previous clause (not subordinated) 2. the clauses are sequentially fixed

There has been some discussion about the degree of independence of the clauses making up a compound sentence. The older view was that they were completely independent of each other. It was supposed that these clauses were nothing but independent sentences with a co-ordinating conjunction between them indicating their semantic relations. Lately the opinion has been expressed that the independence of the clauses, and especially of the second clause is not complete, and that the structure of the second and following clauses is to some extent predetermined by the first.

The semantic relations between the clauses making up the compound sentence depend partly on the lexical meaning of the conjunction uniting them, and partly on the meanings of the words making up the clauses themselves.

From the point of view of the relationship between coordinate clauses, we distinguish following types of coordinate connection:

1 .Сорulative (соед.) coordination implies that the information conveyed by coordinate clauses is in some way similar. The copulative connectors are: the conjunctions and, nor, neither... nor, not only... but (also), as well as, and the conjunctive adverbs then, moreover, besides.

The events described in copulative coordinate clauses may be simultaneous or successive. Occasionally the second clause may contain some commentary on the previous clause. e.g. She was familiar with the petty social problems, and they bored her.

2. Adversative (противитильная) coordination joins clauses containing opposition, contradiction or contrast. Adversative connectors are: the conjunctions but, while, whereas, the conjunctive adverbs however, yet, still, nevertheless, and the conjunctive panicle only.

3. Disjunctive coordination implies a choice between two mutually exclusive alternatives. The disjunctive conjunctions are or, either... or, the conjunctive adverbs are else (or else), otherwise.

e.g. You can join us at the station, or we can wait for you at home.

4. Causative-consecutive(причинно-следственное) coordination joins clauses connected in such a way that one of them contains a reason and the other a consequence. The second clause may contain either the reason or the result of the event conveyed by the previous clause. The only causative coordinating conjunction is for.

e.g. The days became longer, for it was now springtime.