Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course unit, the student will be able to:

  • understand and analyse the structure of the complex sentence types covered in class (coordinate and different types of subordinate clauses, different types of reported speech) within unfamiliar textual data,

  • interpret and comment on the effects of different choices made across the grammatical domains studied,

  • illustrate how these complex sentences help structure and shape the fabric of discourse.

Goals

Building on the foundations established in LANGB101 (English from sounds to sentences), this course unit deepens students' understanding of English grammar by focusing on complex sentence structures not previously addressed. It also shifts the analytical focus from isolated linguistic units (e.g., phonemes, morphemes, words, sentences) to their communicative function within broader discourse contexts such as whole texts.

Content

This course studies a number of complex sentence types in present-day English, viz. coordinated structures, subordinated clauses of various subtypes (covering the area traditionally referred to as 'adverbial' clauses), and reported speech and thought complement clauses, adopting a usage-based and broadly functional-cognitive perspective. It also considers the ways in which these complex sentence types contribute to discourse goals.

Table of contents

Part 1. Coordination and types of subordination

1.1 Parameters of interpersonal grammar relevant to clause combining

1.1.1 Modality: Construing a position

1.1.2 Speech function: Assigning responsibility

1.1.3 Focus and scope: Delineating a domain

1.1.4 Combining the parameters

1.2 Defining four types of clause combining on interpersonal grounds

1.2.1 Operationalizing the interpersonal parameters

1.2.2 Coordination and three types of subordination

1.2.3 Polysemous conjunctions

1.3 Grammatical reflexes of the interpersonal parameters

1.3.1 [- Speech function] & [- Scope]: Preposability of the secondary clause

1.3.2 [+ Scope]: Clefting and wh-questioning

1.3.3 [+ Modality]: Discursive main clause phenomena

1.4 The semantics of coordinating and subordinating constructions

1.4.1 The constructional polysemy of conjunctions

1.4.2 Argumentative vs. non-argumentative coordination

1.4.3 Temporal vs. non-temporal free/bound subordination

1.4.4 Content-related vs. speaker-related interpretations

1.5 Special cases

1.5.1 Narrative temporal clauses

1.5.2 Non-finite clauses

1.5.3 An odd one out: Insubordinated constructions

Part 2. Represented speech and thought constructions

2.1 Preliminary questions

2.1.1 Delineating the construction types considered

2.1.2 Terminology and basic concepts

2.1.3 Does represented speech or thought represent speech or thought?

2.1.4 ‘Quotation’ as demonstration

2.2 Direct and indirect speech or thought

2.2.1 The main features of direct speech or thought

2.2.2 The main features of indirect speech or thought

2.2.3 Mixed quotation

2.2.4 The structural integration of reporting and reported clauses

2.2.5 Some recent developments in the quotative system of English

2.3 Free indirect speech or thought

2.3.1 The structure of free indirect speech/thought

2.3.2 The deixis of free indirect speech/thought

2.3.3 The viewpoint expressed in free indirect speech/thought

2.4 Distancing indirect speech or thought

2.4.1 Distinguishing distancing from free indirect speech/thought

2.4.2 Current speaker attitudes expressed in DIST

2.4.3 A note on diachrony

2.5 Subjectified forms of speech and thought representation

2.6 Fact constructions

Pre-requisites

English from sounds to sentences [LANGB101]

Teaching methods

Lectures, with sample analyses carried out in class.

Assessment method

Written exam.

Sources, references and any support material

Vandelanotte, Lieven. English from sentences to discourse. University of Namur.

Language of instruction

English