This chapter deals with other functions of clauses, that is, with clauses at used. In other words, we will now take a look at dependent or subordinate clauses. There are three categories: Nominal clauses, Relative clauses and Adverbial clauses.
First of all, Nominal clauses. They function in the same places as Noun phrases, i.e. subject, object and complement. However, it does not take the adjunct function as a Noun phrase does. Nominal phrases have four types: two finite types (wh-clauses and that clauses) and two non-finite types (infinitive clauses and participle clauses).
About That clauses. They are clauses introduced by 'that' and may function as subject, object or complement. When a 'that' clause functions as subject, a "dummy" 'it' may stay in the subject position and the that clause is extraposed (moved outside of the constituent that contains it). It's English way to put long and 'weighty' elements at the end of a clause.
Wh-clauses are clauses introduced by who, what, when, where, how, whether, if. They may either indirect question or a nominal relative clause. They may function as subject, object, or complement. e.g.
- What I did did not interest her.
- They didn't understand what I said.
- The problem is where all the money has gone.
PS: As that clauses do, wh-clauses also have the case of extraposition when wh-clauses function as subject, e.g. It did not interest her what I did.
The third type of this group, the Infinitive clauses. As usual, it begins with a verb in infinitive form. The verb here may be a to-infinitive or a bare infinitive. The functions an infinitive clause can take are subject, complement and, most common of all, object or part of the object. e.g.
- To live (-> Subject) is to devote (-> object)
- He asked me to bring the book (-> object) (a)
- I want you to do that (-> part of object) (b)
* In example (a), the verb 'ask' can take two objects 'me' and 'to bring the book' as we can question both of them :
'Who did he ask to bring the book ?' (me)
'What did he ask me ?' (to bring the book)
But in example (b), the verb 'want' does not normally take two objects. This can be proven when we question the two "objects":
'Who do I want to do it?' (It's alright)
'What do I want you ?' (This's impossible)
Thus, the clause should be analysed as subject - verb - object. The object here is a complex made up of a Noun phrase and an infinitive clause.
Finally, Participle clauses. They, mainly present participle, may function as both subject and complement. And as infinitive clauses do, they are commonly found in object position, Indeed, without a preposition participle clauses never function as a second object, e.g. :
- Seeing (-> Subject) is believing (-> Object)
- We enjoy going out for lunch ( -> Object)
- I saw him going out with another girl (-> Part of object)
- They accused Tom (object 1) of stealing the bike (Object 2)
The way of analyzing these examples is the same as that of infinitive clauses' examples.
The second type of dependent clauses is Relative clauses. Relative clauses function as post-modifiers in Noun phrases. A Relative pronoun is used to link them to the head of the noun phrase. There are two factors that determine the form of the Relative pronoun.
The first one is whether the head noun is personal or non-personal, which decides the choice between 'who' and 'which'.
The second factor is the syntactic function of the relative pronoun within the Relatice clause. e.g. - Whom has the function object
- Whose has the function genetive
- to/at which has the function prepositional object
'That' is a special case since it can be used with both personal and non-personal antecedents. It's also the only relative pronoun that may be used after 'all, anything, everything' and superlative forms of adjectives.
Whom, where, why, etc. are also used as relative pronouns but only after the appropriate head nouns. And those noun phrases are often reduced by omitting the head noun, thus making them nominal relative clause.
Finally, we come to Adverbial clauses. Adverbial clauses give circumstantial information about an action or event. They are introduced by conjunctions which 'join' the adverbial clause to the main clause.
- Conditional clauses are introduced by 'if' or 'unless'
- 'Than' or 'as' introduces Comparison clauses.
- Reason clauses take 'because' or 'since'
- Contrast clauses use 'though' or 'although'
- Purpose clauses are introduced by 'so that'
- Result clauses take 'so ... that'
Adverbial clauses may be regarded as functioning as adjunct in clause structure. However, if this were always true, the clause would be the highest or largest unit in clause structure, since we could regard one clause as functioning as an element within the other clause if two of them occurred together. Here we have conditional clause as a proof that the theory is not exactly right as it does not give circumstantial information about an action or even but set two actions or events in relationship to each other: one is conditional on the other, and each is represented by a separate clause.
Well, according those in the upper grade, this chapter ends the Syntax subject of Semophore's first semester. Hah, as we finish this chapter, it is recommended that we take a revision for all. The exercises will be tough unless we learn by heart and understand all the units, items, and categories. Good luck !
(The beginning of the Second year is coming , hope to see my classmates soon, I miss you much ^^)
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