Subordination and Coordination

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter describes the forms and functions of the main types of subordinate clauses, as well as various types of both phrasal and clausal coordination. The two main types of subordination, modification and complementation, are distinguished in relation to both finite and non-finite subordinate clauses. Various means of signalling subordination are described. It is shown how subordinate non-finite clauses, which lack primary tense, are largely dependent on the main clause predicate for their temporal interpretation, and how understood subjects in subordinate clauses may be coreferential with various nominals in the main clause. As for coordination, both bare heads and heads with dependents may be coordinated and, although we normally coordinate like with like, the items being coordinated do not necessarily have to be identical in form, nor indeed in function. Some constructions are discussed that straddle the binary distinction between coordination and subordination.