• Author / Uploaded
• Matej Ivanković

Citation preview

NOMINAL CLAUSES there 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

are several types of nominal clauses: that-clauses wh-interrogative clauses yes-no and alternative interrogative clauses exclamative clauses nominal relative clauses to-infinitive clauses -ing clauses bare infinitive clauses verbless clauses

that- clauses ▪ may function as: a) subject (That he killed his aunt is unclear to me.)  it mostly functions as a subject postponed (It is known that apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.) b) object (I told you that he isn’t going to come.) c) subject complement (My assumption is that interest rates will soon fall.) d) appositive (He presented an idea that was supposed to save the company.) e) adjectival complementation (I’m glad that you came.) ▪ that can be omitted without changing the meaning – a zero-that clause (Ø/0that clause) – it’s particularly common when the clause is brief and uncomplicated ▪ the retention of that is necessary in some cases: a) to clarify whether an adverbial belongs to the matrix or the that-clause (They told us once again that the situation was serious.|They told us that once again the situation was serious.) b) to prevent a coordinated that-clause being misinterpreted as a coordinated main clause (I realize that I’m in charge and that everybody accepts my leadership. | I realize that I’m in charge and everybody accepts my leadership) c) when the object that-clause is fronted (That she ever said such a thing I simply don’t believe.) d) when a clause or long phrase intervenes btw the verb and that-clause (We decided, in view of his special circumstances, that we would admit him for a probationary period.)

wh-interrogative clause ▪ may function as: a) subject (What I don’t understand is why she left you.) b) direct object (I don’t know what’s going on.) c) subject complement (What I don’t understand is why she left you.) d) appositives (She gave me an idea what to do about it.) e) adjectival complementation (I’m not sure which she prefers.) f) prepositional complement (They didn’t consult us on whose names should be put forward.)

▪ prepositions are often omitted before wh-clauses (We’ve solved the problem (of) who was at fault.)

yes-no and alternative interrogative clauses ▪ occur in a whole range of functions available to subordinate clauses, and may include indefinite clauses ▪ yes-no clauses are introduced by the subordinators whether and if (Do you know whether/if the banks are open.) ▪ alternative clauses are formed with the correlatives whether… or or if… or  the subordinator is repeated only if the second unit is a full clause, and may sometimes be repeated with to-infinitive clauses ▪ it can’t introduce a subject clause, a to-infinitive clause and it can’t be followed directly by or not (but it can be postponed)

exclamative clauses ▪ may function as: a) extraposed subject (It’s incredible how fast she can run.) b) direct object (I remember what a good time I had at your party.) c) prepositional complement (I read an account of what an impression you had made.) ▪ they’re formed with what as a predeterminer in a NP and how as an intensifier of an adjective, adverb or clause ▪ a subordinate clause may be ambiguous between exclamatory and interrogative interpretations (You can’t imagine what difficulties I have with my children  the great difficulties or the kinds of difficulty | I told her how late she was  she was very late or the extent to which she was late

nominal relative clause ▪ introduced by a wh-element, which can be a pronoun, such as whoever and what, a determiner, such as what, or an adverb, such as where ▪ it may function as: a) subject (Whoever you called last night is none of my business.) b) direct object (I don’t know where I put my book.) c) indirect object (He gave whoever asked for it a copy of his book.) d) subject complement (This place is where I want to live.) e) object complement (You can call me what(ever)you like.) f) appositive (I’ll pay you the whole dept: what I originally borrowed and what I owe you in interest.) g) prepositional complement (You should vote for which(ever) candidate you think best.) ▪ they require prepositions in adjective complementation (He’s aware of what I write.) ▪ to-infinitive can also be nominal relative clauses, but only in the function of subject and prepositional complement

▪ the suffix –ever indicates whether something is nonspecific (whoever, whatever…) ▪ a subordinate clause can be ambiguous btw a nominal relative and an interrogative interpretation (They asked me what I knew.  the things I knew or “What do you know” | What she wrote was a mystery.  ‘She wrote a mystery story’ or ‘I don’t know what she wrote’)

to-infinitive clause ▪ may function as: a) subject (To be neutral in this conflict is out of the question.)  also as a subject postponed b) direct object (I want to go somewhere.) c) subject complement (The best excuse is to say you’re sick.) d) appositive (Your ambition, to become a farmer, requires a lot of energy.) e) adjectival complementation (I’m very happy to have met you.) ▪ the presence of a subject in a to-infinitive clause requires the presence of a preceding for, except when the clause is a direct object, then for is generally absent before the subject ▪ this form mostly indicates a proposition or possibility and is semantically closest to a that-clause with putative should (It’s natural for them to be together. = It’s natural that they should be together.)

-ing clauses ▪ may function as: a) subject (Watching television is relaxing.) b) direct object (I enjoy helping other people.) c) subject complement (He’s doing something good for the nation.) d) appositive (His current research, investigating attitudes to racial stereotypes, takes up most of his time.) e) adjectival complementation (They’re busy preparing a barbecue.) ▪ if the –ing clause has a subject, the subject can be in genitive or objective case (I object to his/Mario’s receiving an invitation – genitive | I object to him/Mario receiving an invitation. - objective) ▪ the genitive is preferred if the subject is initial in the sentence (My forgetting her name is odd.) ▪ the genitive is avoided when the NP is lengthy and requires a group genitive (Do you remember the students and teachers protesting against the new rule?) ▪ a formal –ing clause may refer to a fact or an action (F: Your driving a car to NY in your condition disturbs me greatly. | A: Your driving a car to NY took longer than I expected.)

bare infinitive clauses ▪ mostly as subject or subject complement in a pseudo-cleft sentence (Turn off the tap was all I did.)

▪ it can also function as an object complement with few superordinate verbs (They made her pay for the damage.) and it can follow prepositions of exception (She did everything but make her bed.)

verbless clauses ▪ a more debatable category (A friend in need is a friend indeed.  To be a friend in need is to be a friend indeed. | Are bicycles wise in heavy traffic?  Is it wise to have bicycles in heavy traffic? | Wall-to-wall carpets in every room is their dream.  Having wall-to-wall carpets in every room is their dream.)