Satzarten, einfache und komplexe Sätze, Topologie

Abstract

What is a sentence? Which communicative functions do sentences fulfill? Which sentences can be differentiated? This article focuses on the grammatical knowledge on sentences, which fulfill major communicative functions (declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, imperative sentences). A sentence is defined as a construction bearing at least one finite verb. Complex sentences either have several finite verbs or one or more finite verbs plus infinitive or participle constructions, which can be transformed into finite constructions. Structurally, complex sentences consist of either several independent coordinated clauses and thus constitute a compound sentence or bear a hierarchical structure, which consists of independent clauses (matrix clause) and subordinated clauses. On the one hand subordinate clauses have sentence status, since they include a declaration, on the other hand they also function as constituents (or parts of constituents) of the matrix sentence. When classifying the pre-field, middle field and post-field of complex sentences, subordinate clauses generally are located in the post-field, less frequently in the pre-field. There are differences in sentence complexity and word order between spoken and written language.