II. The material to be read for the seminar

Syntax is a linguistic science which studies the sentence and combinability of words, various types of sentences, their structure and meaning and the syntactical functions of part of speech. The sentence is the basic unit of Syntax which is capable of expressing a message containing some kind of information about situations of objective reality. With a help of a sentence one can make a statement, a command, and request or ask a question for obtaining some information. The sentence, as I.K.Kharitonov points out, is “the smallest unit of speech communication consisting of one or more words which is characterized by a definite structural (grammatical) and intоnational pattern, predication, modality and conveys a relatively completed thought”. Sentences may be regarded from the point of view of their communicative value and from the point of view of their structure. From the point of view of their role in the process of communication sentences may be divided into: declarative (affirmative and negative), interrogative, imperative and exclamatory. According to their structure sentences may be classified into simple (two-member and one-member, complete and elliptical) and composite (compound, complex and compound-complex). One shouldn’t confuse elliptical and one-member sentences. Elliptical sentences are considered to be colloquial variants of the corresponding two-member sentences because any missing part of them can be restored from the previous context while no missing component of a one-member sentence can be retraced from the context. E.g.: 1. What are you doing? – Reading a letter. (a two-member elliptical sentence), but: 1. Another cold day (a one-member nominative sentence). 2. To discuss such delicate things in public! (a one-member infinitival sentence). 3. Finding fault with other people! (a one-member gerundial sentence).

The composite sentence, as different from a simple one, has two or more predicative centers, i.e. it is a polypredicative construction and thus expresses a complex act of thought. All composite sentences are classed into compound and complex sentences with syndetic and asyndetic types of clause connection. Compound sentences are structures of coordination with two or more clauses which are syntactically equivalent, i.e. none of them is below the other in rank. Clauses that are parts of a compound sentence are called coordinate. From the point of view of relationships between coordinate clauses four time of coordinate connection can be distinguished: copulative, disjunctive, adversative and causative-consecutive.

1. Copulative connection joins expresses that two ideas are connected. The events described in copulative connection may be simultaneous or successive. The copulative connectors are: and; both … and; not only …but; nor; then; moreover; likewise; as well as. E.g.: It was high summer, and the hay harvest was almost over.

2. Adversative connection joins clauses which contain opposition, contradiction or contrast. Adversative conjunctions are: but, yet, still, nevertheless, however: She often enjoyed Ann’s company, yet the child made her nervous.

3. Disjunctive connection denotes choice, usually between two mutually exclusive alternatives. The disjunctive connections are: or, otherwise, else, either…or: You must fasten the boat to that pole, otherwise the current will carry it away.

4. Causative-consecutive coordination, as N.A.Kobrina points out, joins clauses connected in such a way that one of them contains a reason, and the other – a consequence. Such clauses may be joined by the conjunction “for”: 1. The windows were open, for it was very hot in the room. 2. There will be plenty of time to do all this, for Martin was not in a position to marry.

Thus by coordination the clauses are arranged as units of a syntactically equal rank. The compound sentence is built up on the principle of coordination. The compound sentence is derived from two or more base sentences which are connected either syndetically or asyndetically. The base sentences joined into one compound sentence lose their independent status and become coordinate clauses – parts of a composite sentence.