36:
886:
for the historical development of the idea) most modern grammarians distinguish these two categories based on whether they add meaning to the sentence or are purely functional. The distinction can be shown with
372:
949:
841:
411:
1157:
1175:
1076:
367:
1201:
1047:
238:
988:
316:
903:). Subordinators, though, have no meaning. They just mark a clause as subordinate; there is no difference in meaning between
1115:
404:
304:
736:
is the subject). In sentences like "I shall not be imprisoned unjustly, for I have rights", it is instead a preposition.
168:
381:
129:
272:
820:
345:
1196:
524:
397:
45:
484:
Syntactically, they appear immediately before the subordinate element. Semantically, they tend to be empty.
324:
256:
210:
769:). If it is a subordinator then it is the only one that marks a verb phrase, not a clause, as subordinate.
1206:
276:
928:
298:
264:
143:
135:
667:
is instead a preposition, usually with a meaning that is usually conditional but sometimes concessive (
35:
976:
883:
508:
492:
308:
163:
112:
642:
583:
709:
500:
336:
260:
227:
124:
1167:
1092:
812:
528:
233:
183:
159:
147:
93:
1171:
1135:
1072:
1043:
1031:
984:
836:
549:
246:
1163:
1127:
866:
Traditional grammar includes in its class of "subordinating conjunctions" prepositions like
454:
450:
219:
214:
179:
174:
116:
108:
1035:
377:
242:
223:
97:
50:
27:
604:, the main exceptions being when the subordinate clause functions as the subject, as in
879:
832:
446:
433:
84:
59:
1190:
1064:
205:
193:
151:
120:
70:
1153:
846:
341:
268:
725:
is a subordinator only when it marks infinitival clauses having a subject such as
499:
as "a word, etc. which marks a clause as subordinate." Most dictionaries and many
931:, without contributing anything to a conditional, concessive, or other meaning.
816:
320:
155:
139:
102:
1131:
971:
969:
312:
1139:
953:(which reserves the name "determiner" for a function), it is a determinative.
899:. The preposition is needed to express a meaning, usually conditional (e.g.,
749:
is arguably a subordinator when it marks infinitival verb phrases such as
89:
782:
is a marginal subordinator only when it marks finite clauses such as
442:
353:
293:
288:
65:
54:
684:
is a subordinator when it marks declarative content clauses such as
349:
438:
385:
252:
1095:(1982). "Syncategorematicity and English infinitival to".
878:, which take a clausal complement. But since at least
507:
and include a much larger set of words, most of them
535:, a term which sometimes excludes the prepositions.
1071:(2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
704:. In contexts where it could be contrasted with
845:, but Robert Levine counters these arguments.
1040:The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
950:The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
842:The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
405:
8:
981:The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics
663:. Where such substitution is not possible,
835:auxiliary verb: one with no tensed forms.
412:
398:
18:
1168:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199274765.001.0001
1042:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1162:. Oxford University Press. p. 208.
1069:The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar
823:, and Robert Fiengo have suggested that
1026:
1024:
1022:
1020:
965:
940:
927:merely marks the following clause as a
26:
1018:
1016:
1014:
1012:
1010:
1008:
1006:
1004:
1002:
1000:
655:. It is always possible to substitute
596:. It is often possible to substitute
16:Subordinators in the English language
7:
804:is an adverb or occasionally (as in
983:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
929:closed interrogative content clause
853:is an auxiliary verb "compelling".
582:is always a subordinator. It marks
373:AmE and BrE grammatical differences
368:African-American Vernacular English
14:
857:Subordinators vs other categories
277:Transitive and intransitive verbs
891:, since there is a subordinator
839:argues against this position in
694:and in relative clauses such as
669:They were jubilant, if exhausted
641:is a subordinator when it marks
34:
849:calls Pullum's arguments that
547:; and, in some of their uses,
461:; and, in some of their uses,
1:
1159:The Rise of the To-Infinitive
1063:Aarts, Bas; Chalker, Sylvia;
862:Subordinators vs prepositions
811:Various linguists, including
1116:"Auxiliaries: To's company"
800:in this example. Elsewhere
1223:
1114:Levine, Robert D. (2012).
488:Terminology and membership
429:subordinating conjunctions
1202:Subordinators by language
1132:10.1017/S002222671100034X
901:If it works, that's great
505:subordinating conjunction
645:content clauses such as
612:is an empirical question
586:content clauses such as
531:tradition uses the term
1120:Journal of Linguistics
947:In the terminology of
789:it wasn't fun any more
765:(but a preposition in
543:The subordinators are
913:I know you were there
796:could substitute for
425:English subordinators
305:Conditional sentences
884:English prepositions
643:closed interrogative
625:you are there or not
584:closed interrogative
445:as subordinate. The
1093:Pullum, Geoffrey K.
1036:Pullum, Geoffrey K.
503:books use the term
501:traditional grammar
22:Part of a series on
1032:Huddleston, Rodney
977:Matthews, Peter H.
895:and a preposition
813:Geoffrey K. Pullum
529:generative grammar
523:that take clausal
1177:978-0-19-927476-5
1078:978-0-19-174444-0
923:the subordinator
837:Rodney Huddleston
659:for subordinator
565:, and marginally
477:, and marginally
441:that mostly mark
422:
421:
1214:
1182:
1181:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1111:
1105:
1104:
1089:
1083:
1082:
1060:
1054:
1053:
1028:
995:
994:
973:
954:
945:
915:. Similarly, in
808:) an adjective.
767:I went to Peoria
451:lexical category
414:
407:
400:
382:Grammar disputes
378:Double negatives
375:
38:
19:
1222:
1221:
1217:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1212:
1211:
1197:English grammar
1187:
1186:
1185:
1178:
1152:
1151:
1147:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1091:
1090:
1086:
1079:
1062:
1061:
1057:
1050:
1030:
1029:
998:
991:
975:
974:
967:
963:
958:
957:
946:
942:
937:
864:
859:
777:
744:
720:
691:this would work
679:
652:this would work
636:
614:and cases with
593:this would work
577:
541:
490:
434:complementizers
427:(also known as
418:
389:
388:
384:
380:
376:
371:
370:
365:
357:
356:
352:
348:
344:
339:
329:
328:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
291:
281:
280:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
257:Irregular verbs
255:
251:
232:
213:
211:Auxiliary verbs
208:
198:
197:
196:
192:
188:
173:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
96:
92:
87:
77:
76:
75:
64:
53:
48:
28:English grammar
17:
12:
11:
5:
1220:
1218:
1210:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1189:
1188:
1184:
1183:
1176:
1145:
1126:(1): 187–203.
1106:
1084:
1077:
1065:Weiner, Edmund
1055:
1049:978052143146-0
1048:
996:
989:
964:
962:
959:
956:
955:
939:
938:
936:
933:
909:you were there
880:Otto Jespersen
863:
860:
858:
855:
831:is an acutely
827:in cases like
821:Richard Hudson
776:
771:
743:
738:
730:this to happen
719:
714:
678:
673:
635:
630:
620:I'll be there
576:
571:
540:
537:
533:complementizer
493:Peter Matthews
489:
486:
449:form a closed
420:
419:
417:
416:
409:
402:
394:
391:
390:
366:
363:
362:
359:
358:
346:Capitalization
340:
335:
334:
331:
330:
292:
287:
286:
283:
282:
209:
204:
203:
200:
199:
148:Interrogatives
121:Demonstratives
88:
83:
82:
79:
78:
49:
44:
43:
40:
39:
31:
30:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1219:
1208:
1207:English words
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1179:
1173:
1169:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1155:
1154:Los, Bettelou
1149:
1146:
1141:
1137:
1133:
1129:
1125:
1121:
1117:
1110:
1107:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1088:
1085:
1080:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1059:
1056:
1051:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1027:
1025:
1023:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1009:
1007:
1005:
1003:
1001:
997:
992:
990:9780199675128
986:
982:
978:
972:
970:
966:
960:
952:
951:
944:
941:
934:
932:
930:
926:
922:
921:we were there
920:
914:
910:
908:
902:
898:
894:
890:
885:
881:
877:
873:
869:
861:
856:
854:
852:
848:
844:
843:
838:
834:
830:
826:
822:
818:
814:
809:
807:
803:
799:
795:
791:
790:
788:
784:She told him
781:
775:
772:
770:
768:
764:
763:
761:
756:
754:
748:
742:
739:
737:
735:
731:
729:
724:
718:
715:
713:
711:
707:
703:
702:
700:
693:
692:
690:
683:
677:
674:
672:
670:
666:
662:
658:
654:
653:
651:
644:
640:
634:
631:
629:
628:
626:
624:
617:
613:
611:
609:
603:
599:
595:
594:
592:
585:
581:
575:
572:
570:
568:
564:
560:
556:
552:
551:
546:
538:
536:
534:
530:
526:
522:
518:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
487:
485:
482:
480:
476:
472:
468:
464:
460:
456:
452:
448:
447:subordinators
444:
440:
436:
435:
430:
426:
415:
410:
408:
403:
401:
396:
395:
393:
392:
387:
383:
379:
374:
369:
364:Variant usage
361:
360:
355:
351:
347:
343:
342:Abbreviations
338:
333:
332:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
301:
300:
295:
290:
285:
284:
278:
274:
270:
269:Phrasal verbs
266:
265:Passive voice
262:
258:
254:
249:
248:
244:
240:
235:
230:
229:
225:
221:
216:
212:
207:
202:
201:
195:
191:
190:Subordinators
186:
185:
181:
176:
171:
170:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
144:Interjections
141:
137:
132:
131:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
105:
104:
99:
95:
91:
86:
81:
80:
73:
72:
71:frequentative
67:
62:
61:
56:
52:
47:
42:
41:
37:
33:
32:
29:
25:
21:
20:
1158:
1148:
1123:
1119:
1109:
1100:
1096:
1087:
1068:
1058:
1039:
980:
948:
943:
924:
918:
916:
912:
906:
904:
900:
896:
892:
888:
875:
871:
867:
865:
850:
847:Bettelou Los
840:
829:I want to go
828:
824:
810:
806:How are you?
805:
801:
797:
793:
792:. Note that
786:
785:
783:
779:
778:
773:
766:
762:double check
759:
758:
757:, we'd have
752:
751:
750:
746:
745:
740:
733:
727:
726:
722:
721:
716:
705:
701:he was there
698:
697:
695:
688:
687:
685:
681:
680:
675:
668:
664:
660:
656:
649:
648:
646:
638:
637:
632:
622:
621:
619:
615:
607:
606:
605:
601:
597:
590:
589:
587:
579:
578:
573:
566:
562:
558:
554:
548:
544:
542:
532:
520:
516:
512:
509:prepositions
504:
497:subordinator
496:
491:
483:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
457:and include
432:
428:
424:
423:
325:Zero-marking
297:
237:
218:
189:
178:
167:
164:Prepositions
156:Portmanteaus
128:
113:Coordinators
101:
69:
58:
817:Paul Postal
561:, arguably
525:complements
473:, arguably
337:Orthography
321:Periphrasis
261:Modal verbs
228:subjunctive
220:conditional
160:Possessives
140:Intensifier
125:Determiners
1191:Categories
1103:: 181–215.
961:References
917:She asked
732:(in which
710:determiner
708:, it is a
618:, such as
539:Membership
313:Do-support
299:in English
273:Verb usage
239:continuous
224:imperative
136:Expletives
94:Adjectives
85:Word types
60:in English
46:Morphology
1140:0022-2267
833:defective
696:the fact
647:I wonder
610:it's true
588:I wonder
317:Inversion
169:List here
130:List here
117:Compounds
1156:(2005).
1067:(2014).
1038:(2002).
979:(2003).
686:I think
671:, etc).
511:such as
495:defines
243:habitual
175:Pronouns
109:Articles
90:Acronyms
66:Suffixes
55:Prefixes
905:I know
868:because
755:be sure
657:whether
623:whether
608:Whether
602:whether
591:whether
580:Whether
574:Whether
545:whether
459:whether
455:English
443:clauses
294:Clauses
247:perfect
98:Adverbs
51:Plurals
1174:
1138:
1097:Glossa
1075:
1046:
987:
876:unless
874:, and
616:or not
527:. The
521:though
519:, and
513:before
437:) are
354:Hyphen
309:Copula
289:Syntax
234:Aspect
184:person
935:Notes
882:(see
872:while
439:words
350:Comma
206:Verbs
194:Verbs
152:Nouns
1172:ISBN
1136:ISSN
1073:ISBN
1044:ISBN
985:ISBN
911:and
907:that
819:and
794:that
734:this
706:this
699:that
689:that
682:That
676:That
600:for
555:that
517:when
467:that
386:Thou
253:-ing
215:Mood
180:case
103:flat
1164:doi
1128:doi
802:how
798:how
787:how
780:How
774:How
728:for
723:For
717:For
567:how
559:for
479:how
471:for
453:in
431:or
1193::
1170:.
1134:.
1124:48
1122:.
1118:.
1101:16
1099:.
1034:;
999:^
968:^
925:if
919:if
897:if
893:if
889:if
870:,
851:to
825:to
815:,
760:to
753:To
747:To
741:To
712:.
665:if
661:if
650:if
639:If
633:If
598:if
569:.
563:to
557:,
553:,
550:if
515:,
481:.
475:to
469:,
465:,
463:if
245:·
241:·
226:·
222:·
182:·
1180:.
1166::
1142:.
1130::
1081:.
1052:.
993:.
627:.
413:e
406:t
399:v
302:)
296:(
250:)
236:(
231:)
217:(
187:)
177:(
172:)
166:(
133:)
127:(
106:)
100:(
74:)
68:(
63:)
57:(
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