49. The Complex sentence. Attributive clauses.

A complex sentence consists of a principal clause and one or more subordinate clauses.

Clauses in a complex sentence may be linked in two ways:

1. Syndetically, i. e. by means of subordinating conjunctions or connectives.

There is a difference between a conjunction and a connective. A conjunction only serves as a formal element connecting separate clauses, whereas a connective serves as a connecting link and has at the same time a syntactic function in the subordinate clause it introduces.

More and more, she became convinced that some misfortune had overtaken Paul. (Cronin) (CONJUNCTION)

All that he had sought for and achieved seemed suddenly to have no meaning. (Cronin) (CONNECTIVE)

2.Asyndetically, i. e. without a conjunction or connective.

I wish you had come earlier. (Heym) Circumstances try the metal a man is really made of. (Collins)

A subordinate clause may follow, precede, or interrupt the principal clause. Придаткове речення може випливати, передувати або перервати основний клаус.

His steps quickened as he set out for the hotel. (Cronin) As the family had no visitors that day, its four members dined alone together. (Dickens) It was dull and dreary enough, when the long summer evening closed in, on that Saturday night.

A complex sentence may contain two or more homogeneous clauses coordinated with each other.

They were all obstinately of opinion that the poor girl had stolen the moonstone, and that she had destroyed herself in terror of being found out. (Collins)

What Mr. Pancks knew about the Dorrit family, what more he really wanted to find out, andwhy he should trouble his busy head about them at all, were questions that often perplexed him.

!!!!!A subordinate clause may be subordinated to the principal clause or to another subordinate clause. Accordingly we distinguish subordinate clauses of the first, second, third, etc. degree of subordination.

He never asked why Erik was giving up academic work. (Wilson)

I don't mind making the admission .. that there are certain forms of so-called humor, or, at least, fun, which I am quite unable to appreciate. (Leacock)

I think I have noticed that they have an inconsistent way of speaking about her, as if she had made some great self-interested success in marrying Mr. Gowan .. (Dickens)

According to their grammatical function subordinate clauses are divided into subject, predicative, attributive, object, and adverbial clauses.

Attributive clauses serve as an attribute to a noun (pronoun) in the principal clause. This noun or pronoun is called the antecedent (антецедент, попередній) of the clause. According to their meaning and the way they are connected with the principal clause attributive clauses are divided into relative and appositive ones.

Attributive relative clauses qualify the antecedent, whereas attributive appositive clauses disclose its meaning. Означенні відносні положення кваліфікують антецедент, в той час як означуванні аппозитивні положення розкривають свій сенс.

Attributive relative clauses are joined to the principal clause syndetically —by means of connectives, and asyndetically;

attributive appositive clauses only syndetically — by means of conjunctions.

Attributive relative clauses can be restrictive and nonrestrictive or descriptive.

1. An attributive relative restrictive clause restricts the meaning of the antecedent. Означуванні відносні обмежувальні положення обмежують сенс попередньої.

It cannot be removed without destroying the meaning of the sentences.

It is not separated by a comma from the principal clause because of its close connection with it.

Attributive relative restrictive clauses are introduced by:

(a) relative pronouns (who, whose, which, that, as¹); (b) relative adverbs (where, when); (c) asyndetically.

You could not but feel sympathy for a man who took so much delight in simple things. (Maugham)

All that could be done had been done. (Dreiser) There was simply nothing else he could do. (Coppard)

I think my father is the best man I have ever known. (Shaw)

An attributive relative non-restrictive clause does not restrict the meaning of the antecedent; it gives some additional information about it. Означуванні відносні не обмежувані положення не обмежують сенс попереднього; це дає деяку додаткову інформацію про нього.

It can be left out without destroying the meaning of the sentence. As the connection between the principal clause and the attributive non-restrictive clause is loose, they are often separated by a comma.

A

ttributive relative non-restrictive clauses are in most cases introduced syndetically by means of:

(a) relative pronouns (who, which);

(b) relative adverbs (where, when).

Mr. Prusty, who kept no assistant, slowly got off his stool. (Cronin)

She uttered a wild scream, which in its heart-rending intensity seemed to echo for miles. (Hardy)

He went in alone to the dining-room where the table was laid for one. (Cronin)

The relative pronoun that is hardly ever used to introduce an attributive relative non-restrictive clause. Відносний займенник «що» майже не використовується.

He had emotion, fire, longings, that were concealed behind a wall of reserve. (Dreiser)

A variant of the attributive non-restrictive clause is the continuative clause, whose antecedent is not one word but a whole clause. Continuative clauses are always separated from the principal clause by a comma.

A continuative clause is introduced by the relative pronoun which, rendered in Russian by the pronoun что.

Mr. Manston was not indoors, which was a relief to her. (Hardy)

For this purpose they probably lowered the bridge, which can be done quite noiselessly.

N o t e. —The connection between the attributive continuative clause and the principal- clause is so loose that it is doubtful whether we have here a subordinate or a coordinate clause; it may be considered a borderline case between subordination and coordination.

Attributive appositive clauses.

Attributive appositive clauses disclose the meaning of the antecedent, which is expressed by an abstract noun. An attributive appositive clause is not separated from the principal clause by a comma. Означуванні аппозитивні положення розкривають сенс попередньої, яка виражається абстрактним іменником. Означуванні частини не відокремлені від головного речення комою.

Appositive clauses are chiefly introduced by the conjunction that, occasionally by the conjunction whether or by adverb show and why. They are not joined to the principal clause asyndetically.

He stopped in the hope that she would speak. (Dickens) I have a presentiment that he is bringing trouble and misery with him into the house. (Collins)

With his former doubt whether this dry hard personage were quite in earnest, Clennam again turned his eyes attentively upon his face. (Dickens)

There was no reason why she should not read it (the book). (Hichens)

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