Temporal Subordinate Clauses, Conjunctions, and Matrix Clauses

Abstract

Temporal subordinate clauses are introduced by temporal conjunctions like nachdem (‘after’), seit (‘since’), bevor (‘before’) and others. Depending on their conjunction, they can express a positional or a durational meaning, and they function as temporal adverbials in their matrix clause. Thus, the temporal subordinate clauses — or short: TEMPORAL CLAUSES — in (1.1a, c, e) function analogously to the temporal adverbials in (1.1b, d, f), respectively.