文档介绍：Lecture 22: Subordination
1 Definition
Subordination means putting a grammatical unit in a lower rank or position. A grammatical unit that functions as a constituent of another unit of equal or lower rank of structure is called a subordinate construction, which might be a finite clause, a non-finite clause, a verbless clause, or a phrase.
2 Coordination and Subordination
Coordination and subordination are two devices bining and relating ideas. These monly used to connect clauses or sentences in order to establish various semantic relationships. Generally speaking, coordination establishes a relationship between ideas of approximately equal importance, while subordination establishes a kind of relationship which indicates that one idea is more important than the other.
1) Ways of subordinating minor ideas
It is a general practice to put the main idea in the main clause and the minor in a dependent clause. There are various ways of subordinating minor ideas, which may be expressed by a finite or non-finite clause or by a verbless clause, eg:
As they were curious about their new neighbours, the Johnsons went and visited them at the first opportunity.
Being curious about their new neighbours, the Johnsons…
Curious about their new neighbours, the Johnsons…
If the speaker wants to further minimize the importance of the minor idea, he can even put it in a phrase, chiefly a prepositional phrase, eg:
With curiosity, the Johnsons went and visited their new neighbours at the first opportunity.
2) Subordinators
Subordinate clauses are generally introduced by subordinators, which, in terms of word formation, can be classified into simple subordinators, complex subordinators, correlative subordinators and marginal subordinators.
3 Subordinate Clauses(finite)
Structurally, subordinate clauses may be finite, non-finite, or verbless. A finite subordinate clause is one whose predicator is a finite verb phrase. Syntactically, subordinate clauses can be subdivided into nominal, rel