Compound and complex sentences and the transformational model

1.

Compound and
complex sentences and
the transformational
model

2.

Outline
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1.Composite sentence
1.1. Compound sentence
1.2. Complex sentence
2.Compound and complex sentences
in the transformational model
2.1. Transformational grammar
2.2. Transformations in compound
sentences
2.3. Transformations in complex
sentences
3. The list of sources

3.

M. Y. Blokh: “The composite sentence, as different
from the simple sentence, is formed by two or
more predicative lines. Being a polypredicative
construction, it expresses a complicated act of
thought, i. e. an act of mental activity which falls
into two or more intellectual efforts closely
combined with one another. …the composite
sentence reflects two or more situational events
viewed as making up a unity; the constitutive
connections of the events are expressed by the
constitutive connections of the predicative lines of
the sentence, i. e. by the sentential
polypredication”
Бархударов Л.С.:«Смысловое и грамматическое
объединение двух и более предложений
называется сложным предложением.»

4.

The means of combining clauses in polypredicative
sentences
Syndetic
(conjunctional)
Yesterday I bought a penny fiddle
And put it to my chin to play,
But I found its strings painted,
So I threw my fiddle away.
Asyndetic
(non- conjunctional)
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king’s horses,
And all the king’s men
Cannot put Humpty Dumpty
together again.

5.

Composite sentences display two principal
types of construction
Subordination (inequality) Coordination (equal rank)

6.

Composite sentence
Compound:
1)Compound
2)Semi-compound
Complex:
1)Complex
2)Semi- complex

7.

Compound sentence - a composite
sentence derived from two or more
base sentences connected on the
principle of coordination either
syndetically or asyndetically.
e. g. He got his hither instead, and
reached over, and drew in the end of
the tow-line; and they made a loop in
it, and put it over their mast, and then
they tided up the sculls, and went and
set down in the stern, and lit their
pipes. (J. Jerome).

8.

Semi-compound sentence is a semicomposite sentence built up on the principle
of coordination. The semi- compound
sentence consists of minimum two base
sentences having an identical element
belonging to one or both of their principal
syntactic positions
E.g.: John smiled and paid the money.

9.

Complex sentence contains one or more
subordinate clauses. Usually the subordinate
clauses are connected by means of a
subordinated conjunction, conjunctive or
relative pronouns or asyndetically.
■ E. g.: I have been thinking of Cambridge all
through dinner, after (a conjunction) Martin had
mentioned a friend of mine who (a relative
pronoun) had been killed that spring.
■ E. g.: He seemed to be asking what (a
conjunctive pronoun) what the matter with me.
■ E. g.: He asked me if (a conjunction) I was
satisfied with the way (asyndetic subordination) I
have spent my life.

10.

Semi-complex sentence is a semicomposite sentence built up on the principle
of subordination. It is derived from minimum
two base sentences, one matrix and one
insert. The matrix sentence is its dominant
part and the insert sentence, its subordinate
semi-clause.
E.g.: We finally found it lying in a corner.

11.

Composite
Compound:
■ Copulative
coordination
■ Disjunctive
coordination
■ Adversative
coordination
■ Causative –
consecutive
coordination
Complex:
Types of subordinate
clauses:
■ Subject clause
■ Predicative clause
■ Object clause
■ Attribute clause
(relative,
appositive)
■ Adverbial clause

12.

Transformational grammar
The main idea of the transformational
grammar is that any language
contains a rather small number of
“kernel” (basic) sentences and other
linguistic forms (such as morphemes
and phonemes) and all others are
derived or generated from these
kernel elements by certain derivation
rules which are not very numerous or
difficult.

13.

The list of kernel sentences
NV
The workers went there
NVN
We will take it.
N V PN
The policeman looked at him.
N Be N
She is a doctor.
N Be A
The girl is pretty.
N Be PN
The paper is of importance.
N Be D
The pen is here.

14.

Three types of transformations:
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Transformations in simple sentences
Two-base transformations (compound,
semi-compound, complex, semicomplex sentences)
Transformation of nominalization

15.

Transformations in simple
sentences:
The car works
S
S
The car does work.
Does the car work?
What works?
The car does not work.
The car did not work.

16.

Transformations of
nominalization
The car works.
S
NP
The work of the car.
The car’s work.
The working car.
For the car to work.
The car’s working.

17.

Two-base transformations
The car works.
S1 + S2
S3
The car works and hums.
When the car works it hums.
Working, the car hums.
When working the car hums.
I like when the car works.

18.

Transformations in compound
sentences
S1 +S2
Compound S3
- Two kernel sentences are joined together into a compound sentence by
conjunction:
1.The man came to the window.
2.The detective saw him.
The man came to
the window, and
the detective saw him.
- The connection can involve substitution, permutation:
1. We asked for his slides.
2. He showed us his slides.
The result is: We asked for his slides, and he showed them to us.
- The connection can involve substitution of an identical V and
addition of ‘so’ and ‘neither’:
I shall make a fair copy of the dictation.
He will make a fair copy of the dictation.
The result: I shall make a fair copy of the dictation and so will he.
- The connection can involve deletion:
He rushed to the door, she to the window.

19.

Transformations in semi-compound
sentences
S1+S2
Semi-compound S3
1. Overlapping round the identical NP-subject
1. I must go.
2. I must put the car away. I must go and put the caraway.
2. Overlapping round the identical verb
1. Brenda laughed.
2. John laughed.
Brenda and John laughed.
3. Overlapping round both the identical NP-subjects and
the identical verbs.
1. Doris felt helpless.
2. Doris felt angry.
Doris felt helpless and
angry.

20.

Transformations in complex
sentences
S1+S2
Complex S3
Three types of subordinators:
N-subordinators (or conjunctives),
A-subordinators (or relatives),
D-subordinators.
Three types of complex sentences:
complex sentences with N-clauses,
complex sentences with A-clauses,
complex sentences with D-clauses.

21.

1. Complex Sentences with N-Clauses
The N-subordinators (conjunctives): what (whatever), who
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(whoever), when (whenever), where (wherever), as if, as though,
that, whom (whomever), which (whichever), how
NP-Subject Position: What the telegram said was not clear.
NP-Predicative Position: The question is how we get there.
NP-Object Position: I knew that he was steady.
2. Complex Sentences with A-Clauses
The main relatives are: who (whom), whose, which, that, where,
when, why, as.
E.g:The man whose family are far away feels lonely.
3. Complex Sentences with D-Clauses
The D-subordinators are: when, while, as, since, for, because, as
if.
E.g.:They discussed the play as they rode home.

22.

Transformations in semi-complex
sentences
S1+S2
Semi-complex S3
■ Two ways of connecting sentences:
1) changing the finite verb into a Vto (an infinitive) or
Ving (a participle); deleting BE;
2) the two sentences overlapping round the common
element, which is shared by them now.
There were no birds.
The birds could sing.
We finally found it.
It lay in a corner.
I have a bad tooth.
My tooth is filled.
There were no birds to sing.
We finally found it lying in a corner.
I have my bad tooth filled.

23.

• Subject sharing
We waited.
We were breathless.
We waited breathless.
• Object sharing
I saw him.
He was walking.
I saw him walking.
Three types of relations in semi-complex
sentences:
1) Simultaneity
I saw her cross (crossing) the street.
2) Cause and Result Relations
They painted the fence white.
3) Information of the Event Thought of, Spoken
of, or Wished for
I know him to be a good dancer.

24.

The list of sources
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1.
Александрова О.В., Комова Т.А. Современный английский
язык. Морфология и синтаксис. – М: Философский факультет
МГУ, 1998.
2. Бархударов Л.С., Шеллинг Д.А. Грамматика английского
языка. – М.: Высшая школа, 1973.
3. Blokh M.Y. A course in theoretical English grammar. – M,
1994.
4. Ilyish B.A. The structure of Modern English. – M., 1971.
5. Iofic L.L., Chakhoyan L.P. Readings in the theory of English
Grammar. – Leningrad, 1972.
6. Irtenyeva N.F., Shapkin A.P., Blokh M.Y. The structure of the
English sentence. – M., 1968.
7. Irtenyeva N.F., Barsova O.M. Shapkin A.P., Blokh M.Y. A
theoretical English grammar. – M., 1969.
8. Kobrina N.A., Korneyeva E.A. An Outline of Modern English
Syntax. – M., 1965.
9. Khaimovich B.S., Rogovskaya B.I., Shapkin A.P. A course in
English grammar. – M., 1967.

25.

1.Complex sentence is built on the principle of …
a) subordination
b) coordination
c) other
2.The following conjunctions when, who, where are typical for:
a) complex
b) compound
c) composite
3.Match the type of connection between the clauses in compound sentences and their
meanings
Copulative
Cause and consequence
Disjunctive
Addition
Adversative
Choice
Causative-consecutive
Result
Resultative
Contrast
4. How many kernel sentences are given in transformational grammar?
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5. Match the sentences with their symbolic representation:
NV
She is a doctor.
N VN
The workers went there.
N VPN
The girl is pretty.
N BE N
We will take it.
N BE A
The policeman looked at him.
N BE PN
The pen is here.
N BE D
The paper is of importance

26.

1.Subordination
2.Complex
3.Copulative – addition
Disjunctive – choice
Adversative – contrast
Causative – consecutive- cause, consequence
Resultative - result
4. 7
5. The workers went there (N V)
We will take it ( N V N)
The policeman looked at him ( N V PN)
She is a doctor(N BE N)
The girl is pretty (N BE A )
The paper is of importance ( N BE P N)
The pen is here ( N BE D)