47. The complex sentence, its structure and type of connection between clauses.

Complex sentence. The complex sentence is a polypredicative construction built up on the principle of subordination. It is derived from two or more base sentences one of which performs the role of a matrix in relation to the others, the insert sentences.When joined into one complex sentence, the matrix base sentence becomes the principal clause of it and the insert sentences, its subordinate clauses.The complex sentence of minimal composition includes two clauses — a principal one and a subordinate one. The subordinate clause is joined to the principal clause either by a subordinating connector (subordinator), or, with some types of clauses, asyndetically. The minimal, two-clause complex sentence is the main volume type of complex sentences. The principal clause dominates the subordinate clause positionally. the central one concerns the principles of classification of subordinate clauses. Namely, the two different bases of classification are considered as competitive in this domain: the first is functional, the second is categorical.In accord with the functional principle, subordinate clauses are to be classed on the analogy of the positional parts of the simple sentence, since it is the structure of the simple sentence that underlies the essential structure of the complex sentence (located on a higher level)in accord with the categorial principle, subordinate clauses аre to be classed by their inherent nominative properties irrespective of their immediate positional relations in the sentence. The nominative properties of notional words are reflected in their part-of-speech classification. from the point of view of their general nominative features all the subordinate clauses can be divided into three categorial-semantic groups. The first group includes clauses that name an event as a certain fact. These pure fact-clauses may be terminologically defined as "substantive-nominal".The second group of clauses also name an event-fact, but, as different from the first group, this event-fact is referred to as giving a characteristic to some substantive entity (which, in its turn, may be represented by a clause or a phrase or a substantive lexeme). Such clauses, in compliance with our principle of choosing explanatory terminology, can be tentatively called "qualification-nominal"'. the third group of clauses make their event-nomination into a dynamic relation characteristic of another, event or a process or a quality of various descriptions. In keeping with the existing practices, it will be quite natural to call these clauses "adverbial". Clauses of primary nominal positions — subject, predicative, object — are interchangeable with one another in easy reshufflings of sentence constituents. The subject clause, in accord with its functional position, regularly expresses the theme on the upper level of the actual division of the complex sentence.The predicative clause, in conformity with the predicative position as such, performs the function of the nominal part of the predicate, i. e. the part adjoining the link-verb. The object clause denotes an object-situation of the process expressed by the verbal constituent of the principal clause.Subordinate clauses of secondary nominal positions include attributive clauses of various syntactic functions. They fall into two major classes: "descriptive" attributive clauses and "restrictive" ("limiting") attributive clauses.The descriptive attributive clause exposes some characteristic of the antecedent (i. e., its substantive referent) as such, while the restrictive attributive clause performs a purely identifying role, singling out the referent of the antecedent in the given situation.Descriptive clauses, in their turn, distinguish two major subtypes: first, "ordinary" descriptive clauses; second, "continuative" descriptive clauses.To attributive clauses belongs also a vast set of appositive clauses which perform an important role in the formation of complex sentences. In accord with the type of the governing antecedent, all the appositive clauses fall into three groups: first, appositive clauses of nounal relation; second, appositive clauses of pronominal relation; third, appositive clauses of anticipatory relation.Clauses of adverbial positions constitute a vast domain of syntax which falls into many subdivisions each distinguishing its own field of specifications, complications, and difficulties of analysis. Proceeding from the said insights, the whole system of adverbial clauses is to be divided into four groups.The first group includes clauses of time and clauses of place. The second group of adverbial clauses includes clauses of manner and comparison. All the adverbial qualification clauses are to be divided into "factual" and "speculative", depending on the real or unreal propositional event described by them.The third and most numerous group of adverbial clauses includes "classical" clauses of different circumstantial semantics, i.e. semantics connected with the meaning of the principal clause by various circumstantial associations; here belong clauses of attendant event, condition, cause, reason, result (consequence), concession, purpose. The common semantic basis of all these clauses can be defined as "circumstance". The whole group should be divided into two subgroups, the first being composed by clauses of "attendant circumstance"; the second, by clauses of "immediate circumstance". The fourth group of adverbial clauses is formed by parenthetical or insertive constructions. Complex sentences which have two or more subordinate clauses discriminate two basic types of subordination arrangement: parallel and consecutive.Subordinate clauses immediately referring to one and the same principal clause are said to be subordinated "in parallel" or "co-subordinated". As different from parallel subordination, consecutive subordination presents a hierarchy of clausal levels. In this hierarchy one subordinate clause is commonly subordinated to another, making up an uninterrupted gradation. This kind of clausal arrangement may be called "direct" consecutive subordination. the subordinative structure of the sentence is in fact consecutive, though not directly consecutive. This type of hierarchical clausal arrangement may be called "oblique" consecutive subordination; it is of minor importance for the system of subordination perspective as a whole.

Complex Sentences

Linguists explain the complex sentences as units of unequal rank, one being categorically dominated by the

other. In terms of the positional structure of the sentence it means that by subordination one of the clauses (subordinate)

is placed in a dependent position of the other (principal). This latter characteristic has an essential semantic

implication clarifying the difference between the two types, of polypredication in question. As a matter of fact, a

subordinate clause, however important the information rendered by it might be for the whole communication,

presents it as naturally supplementing the information of the principal clause, i.e. as something completely premeditated

and prepared even before its explicit expression in the utterance (5), (6), (7).

The Types of Complex Sentences

The subordinate clauses are classified according to the two criteria: meaning and

combinability. The clauses of a complex sentence form the unity, a simple sentence in which some

part is replaced by a clause.

The subject clauses are used in the function of a primary part of the sentence. The peculiarity of the subject

clause is its inseparability from the principal clause. It is synsemantic; it can't be cut off from the rest of the

sentence.

What he says is true.

The predicative clause fulfills the function of the notional predicate (the function of the

predicative).

e.g. The thing is what we should do the next.

The Adverbial clauses serve to express a variety of adverbial relations:

action quality. Mike acted as though nothing had happened.

=manner. Everybody should love her as he did.

Some more complex sentences:

What the newspapers say may be false (subject clause).

I don't remember what his name is. (object)

He thought that it might well be. (object)

The lot that is on the corner needs moving. (attributive)

He is a man whom I have always admired. (attributive)

When Bill decided to leave, everyone expressed regret. (adverbial clause of time)