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20. Syntactic and Information Structure Analysis of Sentences
Exercise 1.
1. This sentence is complex and the whole of it can be regarded as an independent clause. If
you wish, you can write down the whole sentence on the front of your blank form in the space
assigned for independent clause 1. Within the sentence we can detect a relative non-restrictive
clause : ,which had never been extinguished or had been kindled afresh ..of darkness,
This should be entered on the backside of the sheet under the heading :
Attributive=>Relative=>Non-restrictive. In written speech the commas always indicate the
non-restrictive clauses. In spoken utterances it is the intonation of the tone phrase which
indicates the non-restritive clause (we make a pause where the commas appear in written
language). Within the relative clause above we have co-ordination of homogeneous predicates
and this is regarded as a case of transition from simple to composite sentence. This means that
we dont have two co-ordinated independent clauses as is the case in Bulgarian but a simple
sentence with co-ordinated homogeneous predicates. The reason for this difference is that in
English we cannot have a subjectless sentence (with some very rare exceptions). If we dont
have a separate subject for the finite verb, we dont have a separate sentence. Even in
impersonal constructions we have the impersonal subject it It is dark outside.
2. This sentence is mixed. We have two independent clauses:
a/ As the cab..to have a morning glass;
b/ the next moment.surroundings.
The conjuction and signifies copulative co-ordination
We also have a dependent (subordinate) clause within the first independent clause : As the cab
drew up before the address indicated,
It should be listed under the heading : Adverbial =>Temporal (of time) on the backside of the
sheet.
3. Mixed. Independent clauses:
a/ I made it my prideentertainment;
b/ I may say my children.
They are co-ordinated copulatively with the conjuction and.
Within the second independent clause we can distinguish three dependent clauses:
a/ Nominal=>Object clause : I had neither friends nor ..my children.
b/ Adverbial => Time : until I met.my children.
c/ Relative => Restrictive (no comma is used before it): who became my wife and the mother
of my children.
{ [ I made it my pride to keep aloof and suffice for my own entertainment; ] and [ I may say
that ( a/ I had neither friends nor acquaintances ( b/until I met that friend ( c/ who became my
wife and the mother of my children. ) ) ) ] }
The curly brackets include the whole sentence. The square brakets embrace the independent
clauses and the round brackets embrace the dependent (subordinate) clauses.
Another interesting point here is (though you shouldnt worry about it) that the conjuction
that is not part of the clause when it introduces object and appositive clauses and its
meaning in Bulgarian is . When it introduces relative clauses (meaning , ,
, ) and adverbial clauses (so that ), it is part of the clause.