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4) THE SIMPLE SENTENCE.

The simple sentence as a monopredicative syntactic structure. The notion of the predicative line.

The sentence as a main syntactic unit performs the function of predication. The basic predicative meanings are expressed by the finite verb which is connected with the subject of the sentence. This predicative connection is referred to as the predicative line of the sentence. Depending on their predicative complexity, sentences can feature one predicative line or several predicative lines, respectively sentences can be “monopredicative” and “ polypredicative ”. Under this distinction the simple sentence is a sentence in which only one predicative line is expressed,

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Interrogative sentences are subdivided into general questions and special questions, disjunctive questions and alternative questions. The last 2 types of questions may be treated as variants of the first 2 types.

The general question is that one in which the relations between the subject and the predicate are questioned. Such questions require a positive or negative answer (yes - no).

In special questions we ask about some definite or specific information, which is marked by the interrogative pronoun or adverb, (d) the exclamatory sentence.

Note: (In modern linguistics it has been demonstrated that exclamatory sentences do not possess the necessary qualities that could place them on one level with those mentioned above).

These are the cardinal communicative sentence types in English.

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In terms of structure the following types of elliptical sentences are singled out:

a) omission of the subject: e.g. Hope to see you soon. b) omission of the predicate in patterns with there is, there are, e. g. Too many mistakes, I am afraid. c) omission of auxiliary, copulative and other function verbs, e. g. You like it here? d) omission of the subject and auxiliary verb, e. g. Hear me? e) omission of the subject and the copula-verb, e. g. Glad to see you again.

Paradigmatics of the simple sentence.

Paradigmatics of the simple sentence is closely connected with the idea of the kernel sentence and sentence derivation, which was introduced by N.Chomsky. He believed that all sentences generated in speech (that is surface structures) are derived from or can be reduced to some limited number of basic syntactic structures which he called “kernel”. The sentence “He did the job carefully and thoroughly” can be reduced to the kernel sentence “He did the job”. The sentence “I saw him come” is derived from two kernel sentences “I saw him” and “He came”.

The derivation of sentences out of kernel ones can be analyzed as a process falling into sets of transformational steps:

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e.g.: We have much in common. It is raining.

In respect of predication a proper simple sentence should be distinguished from a semicomposite sentence (traditional term) or complementational sentence (J.R. Taylor’ s term) and clauseconflational sentence (L.Talmy’ s term).

Semicomposite sentence can include, for example, homogeneous sentence parts: either subjects or predicates, which represent polypredicative structures,

e.g.:1. My brother and I were absolutely happy that time.

2.The cousin greeted me and offered a cup of tea.

It is quite evident that the sentences express two different predicative lines: in the first one the two subjects form separate predicative connections and in the second one the two predicates are separately connected with the subject. Semicomposite sentences, as well as complementational sentences, can also include a clause which functions as the subject or the object of the verb,

e.g.: 3. I saw them break into the house.

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The structural types of the sentence.

Sentences can be classified according to their structural properties.

The elementary sentence coincides structurally with the so called unexpanded simple sentence, a monopredicative sentence, which includes only obligatory nominative parts. The expanded simple sentence includes also some optional parts, i.e. supplementive modifiers, which do not violate the syntactic status of the simple sentence, i.e. do not make it into a composite or semi-composite sentence.

The two principal parts of the sentence, the subject and the predicate, with the subordinate secondary parts attached to them are the two constitutive members or “axes” of the sentence: the subject group (the subject “axis”) and the predicate group (the predicate “axis”). On the basis of their representation in the outer structure of the sentence, sentences are subdivided into complete sentences

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1. “morphological arrangement” of the sentence, i.e. morphological changes expressing syntactically relevant categories, such as the predicate categories of the verb: tense, aspect, voice, mood,

e.g.: He writes. He will be writing/would write/ has written;

2. “functional expansion” includes various uses of functional words,

e.g.: He regretted the trip. He seemed to regret the trip;

3. “substitution”, e.g.: The children ran out of the house.

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4.To finish it in time was impossible.

Clauseconflational sentences, as termed by L.Talmy, are syntactic units which are based on clause fusion. They represent conceptual complex and therefore possess polypredicative structures, though on the formal syntactic level appear as simple sentences. Such like structures are probably based on a higher degree of conceptual integration between parts of an event complex, as compared to semicomposite or complementational sentences

e.g.:

5. The leaves withered away.

6.He whistled his way out of the restaurant.

7.These cars are expensive to repair.

Representation of polypredication is conditioned by interaction of lexical semantics of sentence elements and a particular type of syntactic construction.

Thus, we may state, that a proper simple sentence, or a single clause sentence, to put it more exactly, is a monopredicative unit, as distinguished from composite and semicomposite sentence

(complementational and clauseconflational sentneces in terms of cognitive approach).

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and incomplete sentences: in complete sentences both the subject group and the predicate group are present; they are also called “two-member sentences” or “two-axis sentences”; if only one axis is expressed in the outer structure of the sentence, the sentence is defined as incomplete; it is also called “one-member sentence”, “one-axis sentence”.

One-member sentences are further divided into:

a) nominal or "naming" sentences;

b) infinitival sentences.

Nominal sentences name a person or thing. The main member in such

sentences is expressed by a noun.

e.g. Winter. Snow.

The main member of infinitival sentences is expressed by an infinitive. Infinitival sentences are fairly common in spoken English and literary prose. Like other units of predicative value, they can communicate not only their denotative meaning but also the connotative suggestions of various circumstances of their use.

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They ran out of the house. I want a different book, please. I want a different one, please;

4.“deletion”– elimination of some elements of the sentence in various contextual conditions, e.g.: Would you like to go out? To go out?

5. “positional arrangement”, e.g.: A loud bang came from there. From there came a loud bang;

6.“intonational arrangement”, e.g.: They should do it on their own. They? Should do it on their own?

Thus, the simple sentence is a monopredicative unit. The grammatical structure of a simple sentence is mainly determined by its syntactic pattern which presents a system of functionexpressing positions, defined by the syntactic valency of the verb predicate.

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Communicative Types of sentences.

The sentence is a communicative unit, therefore primary classification of sentence must be based on the communicative principle - the purpose of communication. Traditional grammar recognized three cardinal sentence-types:

a) the declarative sentence expresses a statement, either affirmative or negative;

b) the imperative sentence expresses inducement, either affirmative or negative;

c) the interrogative sentence expresses a question, i.e. request for information wanted by the speaker from the listener .

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and incomplete sentences: in complete sentences both the subject group and the predicate group are present; they are also called “two-member sentences” or “two-axis sentences”; if only one axis is expressed in the outer structure of the sentence, the sentence is defined as incomplete; it is also called “one-member sentence”, “one-axis sentence”.

One-member sentences are further divided into:

a) nominal or "naming" sentences;

b) infinitival sentences.

Nominal sentences name a person or thing. The main member in such

sentences is expressed by a noun.

e.g. Winter. Snow.

The main member of infinitival sentences is expressed by an infinitive. Infinitival sentences are fairly common in spoken English and literary prose. Like other units of predicative value, they can communicate not only their denotative meaning but also the connotative suggestions of various circumstances of their use.

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