7.2. The structure of the simple sentence

Simple sentences consist of two structures a surface one and a deep one

The surface structure is a set of function-expressing positions filled with such parts of the simple sentence as the subject, the predicate, the object, the attribute and the modifiers.

The parts are arranged in a hierarchy, so we distinguish the main and the secondary parts of the simple sentence.

The basis of the surface structure — the reflection of some situational event.

The deep structure is an abstract model of some syntactical relations between defined by the valency of the finite verb. So, actually we may see under the deep structure the relations between the finite verb and its arguments. Some of the relations are obligatory (according to the valency) and some are optional. They distinguish some parts of the deep structure as well (Appendix1)

7.2.1. The surface structure of the simple sentences. The Subject. The Predicate. The Secondary parts of the sentence.

The notional parts of the simple sentence each occupying a notional position in it, are subject, predicate, object, adverbial, attribute, parenthetical enclosure, addressing enclosure; a special, semi-notional position is occupied by an interjectional enclosure. The ultimate and highest object of this integral modification is the sentence as a whole, and through the sentence, the reflection of the situation (situational event).

Thus, the Subject is the main part of a sentence, presenting the doer of the action or the object determined by some properties or states, a person-modifier of the predicate. Usually expressed by the nouns, taken in its nominative case, substantivised pronouns(I, he, someone) numerals(the two, the five), and also substintivised adjectives(the blind, the poor), the gerund (his arriving), infinitive(to read is his passion), etc.

The Predicate is is the main part of a sentence, describing the property of the object(or subject-person), presented by the Subject. a process-modifier of the subject-person. The Predicate is the source of predicativeness in a sentence what distinguishes a sentence from a word and word-combination. The Predicate makes up the functional minimum of a sentence. Usually expresses grammatical categories, characterizing the sentence as it is suggestion (the category of mood, tense, voice). Being a communicative centre of a sentence, the Predicate formally depends on the Subject correlating with it in number and person. They distinguish two types of the Predicate: 1) the simple (notional) and 2) compound (compound verbal and compound nominal ) predicate.

The Object is the secondary part of a sentence which expresses the object of the action, a substance-modifier of a processual part (actional or statal). It is usually to determine the Predicate. If the Predicate is presented by transitive verb, the object is used to specify the direction of the action expressed by the verb. . Describing the same situation of the reality , a verb can be oriented on the different "participants"(cf. to unload the coal from the carriage and to upload the carriage).

The Adverbial modifier the secondary part of a sentence, expresing the second properties of the action or the state presented by the verb(place, time, purpose, manner, reason, etc), a quality-modifier (in a broad sense) of a processual part or the whole of the sentence (as expressing an integral process inherent in the reflected event). Usually expressed by the adverb. As the averbial modifiers may be seen verbal adjectives, objective cases of the nouns and the infinitive. The adverbial modifier may characterise either the whole sentence or the separate word. The adverbial modifiers are the least dependent parts of sentence. In the cases when the adverbial modifiers ( especially taken in the temporal or local meaning ) are closely related to the lexical meaning of the Predicate, they may overlap with the objects.

(for example to arrive in a city – the defining in a city will depend on the question asked If it is in what question, this word-combination will be seen as the object and if it is where –question, it will be the adverbial modifier of place.)

The substantial difference between the adverbial modifier and the object may be seen in the fact that each type of the object corresponds to one specific syntactic position opened by the peculiar verbal governing which allows the usage of the names with coordinating connection only "I read these books. At the same time the adverbial modifiers may correspond to several syntactic positions — In summer, from the end of July to the end of August I was having rest in the resort house, on the Black sea.

The Attribute is the dependent secondary part of sentence, a quality-modifier of a substantive part. It is grammatically connected to the defined noun and is designed to indicate the property of the described object. Except the nouns the attributes may define other parts of sentence like the Predicate (nominative predicative). Closely connected with the adverbial modifiers of manner expressing the property of the process described by the Predicate. (to run quickly –a quick run; to act hastily – a hasty act)

The parenthetical enclosure is a detached speaker-bound modifier of any sentence-part or the whole of the sentence. The addressing enclosure (address) is a substantive modifier of the destination of the sentence and hence, from its angle, a modifier of the sentence as a whole. The interjectional enclosure is a speaker-bound emotional modifier of the sentence.

The first structural division divides the sentence into two phrases connected by predicative relations – the nounal phrase and the verbal phrase.

Each part of the sentence contains the nucleus, grammatically important components —the Subject and the Predicate, seen as the main parts of sentence. They determine formally-grammatical organization of a sentence. Other parts of the sentence are considered to be secondary.

The Subject part of subject corresponds to the subject of judgement and the theme of report.

the Predicate part- to the predicate of judgement and the rheme of report.

Thus, for the constituents of a sentence are characterized primary both by logical and communicative function.

The predicate part is presented by the objects and the adverbial modifiers. Additions are connected with the verb(rarer with the adjective or the noun)

The syntactic functionality of parts of speech is not equal. So the largest syntactic functionality is typical for the nouns (which may play different syntactic roles in a sentence) . And it is much less when concerns the adjectives and the verbs (as the verbs the Predicate only and the adjectives either the attribute or the nominal predicative).

The structural scheme of a sentence is an abstract syntactic standard of the separately taken simple sentence. The syntactic order of language is the set of regularities responsible for the construction of syntactic units.