Subordinating conjunctions.

Subordinating conjunctions may introduce subject clauses, object clauses, predicative clauses, adverbial clauses, and attributive clauses.¹

¹ See Chapter XVII, The Complex Sentence.

Many of the subordinating conjunctions introduce different kinds of clauses. For instance that may introduce subject clauses, predicative clauses, object clauses, adverbial clauses of purpose and of result.

That Ruth had little faith in his power as a writer did not alter her nor diminsh

her in Martin’s eyes. (London) (SUBJECT CLAUSE)

What I mean is that you’re the first man I ever met who’s willing to admit out

loud to a woman that he thinks she’s better than he is. (Wilson)

(PREDICATIVE CLAUSE)

He looked to the south and knew that somewhere beyond those blue hills lay

the Great Bear Lake. (London) (OBJECT CLAUSE)

He walked into the Green Park that he might cross to Victoria Station and

take the Underground into the City. (Galsworthy) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE

OF PURPOSE)

He bailed wildly at first, splashing himself and flinging the water so short a

distance that it ran back into the pool. (London) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF

RESULT)

The conjunction if introduces object clauses and adverbial clauses of condition:

He was anxious to see if she had relapsed since the previous evening.

(Dickens) (OBJECT CLAUSE)

If the man ran, he would run after him; but the man did not run. (London)

(ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF CONDITION)

The conjunction as introduces adverbial clauses of time, of cause, and of comparison:

These were the thoughts of the man as he strove onward. (London)

(ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF TIME)

As Jacob has made me captain, I must call the roll. (Dodge) (ADVERBIAL

CLAUSE OF CAUSE)

That day had decreased the distance between him and the ship by three miles;

the next day by two — for he was crawling now as Bill had crawled.

(London) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF COMPARISON)

The conjunction while may express both coordination and subordination. It may be a coordinating adversative conjunction (in this case it is translated as тогда как; a) or a subordinating conjunction of time (in this case it is translated as в то время как, пока).

Older men probably resented him while others of his own generation could

feel so inadequate when comparing their talent to his... (Wilson)

(COORDINATING CONJUNCTION)

While skating along at full speed, they heard the cars from Amsterdam

coming close behind them. (Dodge) (SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION)

Subordinating conjunctions may also be used in simple sentences. They join adverbial modifiers to the predicate of the sentence. Conjunctions of comparison, such as as if, as though are frequently used in simple sentences.

He scowled at first; then, as if recollecting something, he said... (Ch. Bronte)

He seemed faint and dizzy and put out his free hand while he reeled, as

though seeking support against the air. (London)

The subordinating conjunctions though and if are also used in simple sentences:

Though alone, he was not lost. (London)

Next, he sheered to the left, to escape the foot of the bed; but this sheer, if too

generous, brought him against the corner of the table. (London)

Subordinating conjunctions of time are rarely used in simple sentences. In that case they are mostly used with participles:

That she was one of those women — not too common in the Anglo-Saxon

race — born to be loved and to love, who when not loving are not living, had

certainly never even occurred to him. (Galsworthy)

Only rarely does a subordinating conjunction pin homogeneous members:

He was gay though tired.

CHAPTER XIV

THE PARTICLE

§ 1. The particle is a part of speech giving modal or emotional emphasis to other words or groups of words or clauses. A particle may join one part of the sentence to another (connecting particles). Particles have no independent function in the sentence.

§ 2. According to their meaning particles fall under the following main groups:

1. Limiting particles: only, just, but, alone, solely, merely, barely, etc.

I only wanted to make you speak. (Shaw)

Just one question, Mrs. Dartie. Are you still fond of your husband?

(Galsworthy)

Soames was but following in the footsteps of his father. (Galsworthy)

Her name alone was almost enough for one who was terribly susceptible to

the charm of words. (Galsworthy)

He had taken up with it solely because he was starving. (London)

She (Ruth) thought she was merely interested in him (Martin) as an unusual

type possessing various potential excellences, and she even felt philanthropic

about it. (London)

They were spreading not merely on the surface, but within. (Galsworthy)

He barely acknowledged the young fellow’s salute. (Galsworthy)

2. Intensifying particles: simply, still, just, yet, all, but, only, quite, even, etc.

He made plans to renew this time in places still more delightful. (Galsworthy)

He just did dislike him. (Galsworthy)

They did not even know that he was married. (Galsworthy)

If Jo were only with him! (Galsworthy)

But out there he’ll simply get bored to death. (Galsworthy)

3. Connecting particles: too, also.

Higgins comes in. He takes off the hat and overcoat.

Pickering comes in. He also takes off his hat and overcoat. (Shaw)

He (James) was silent. Soames, too, was silent. (Galsworthy)

4. Negative particles: not, never.

No, he was not afraid of that. (Galsworthy)

She looked round her. Nothing — not a thing, no tiniest disturbance

of her hall, nor of the dining room. (Galsworthy)

I never spoke to him except to ask him to buy a flower off me. (Shaw)

Some of the particles are polysemantic, for instance just, only.

That’s just his way of talking. (Dreiser) (LIMITING PARTICLE)

Why, I think, that’s a terrible price to ask for it, just awful. (Dreiser)

(INTENSIFYING PARTICLE)

French people only come to England to make money. (Galsworthy)

(LIMITING PARTICLE)

If only there were a joyful future to look forward to! (Galsworthy)

(INTENSIFYING PARTICLE)

Almost all the particles are homonymous with other parts of speech, chiefly with adverbs (simply), but also with conjunctions (but), pronouns (all), and adjectives (only). The particles else, solely, merely have no homonyms.

Part II

SYNTAX

Chapter XV

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