Co-ordination & Subordination:


PRAEFATIO

CO-ORDINATION

SUBORDINATION



INDEPENDENT vs. DEPENDENT CLAUSES: 

The fundamental structure, and frequently the order, of a Latin sentence is:

  • SUBJECT----(MODIFIERS of the subject)---OBJECT-----(MODIFIERS of the object)-----VERB

When a clause has all the requisite grammatical elements needed to stand on its own as a complete thought (i.e. a SENTENCE) it is termed an INDEPENDENT CLAUSE [in + de + pendere; not hanging down from].

  • Two independent clauses can be linked according to the rules of CO-ORDINATION.

Thus, a DEPENDENT CLAUSE is one which is not able to stand alone as a grammatically complete thought.

  • A dependent clause must "hang down from" an INDEPENDENT clause according to the rules of SUBORDINATION.

 



CO-ORDINATION

Co-ordination is the linking of two INDEPENDENT CLAUSES in a manner which demonstrates the relationship between the thoughts expressed in one and those expressed in the other.

  • In co-ordination, the clauses (or other grammatical units) joined are of roughly equal importance.

 

CO-ORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS and PARTICLES, such as [et, sed, quamquam, nam], are commonly placed between the INDEPENDENT clauses in order to specify their relationship.

Marcus Sextum pulsat, et librum eius capit. (Marcus hits Sextus, AND he takes his book.)

  • [Marcus Sextum pulsat] is an INDEPENDENT clause.
  • [librum eius capit] is also an INDEPENDENT clause.
  • The co-ordinating conjunction [et] links the two INDEPENDENT clauses.

NOTA BENE:

  • The clauses being co-ordinated need not always be in the same sentence.

 Copulative Conjunctions  Meaning (linking)
 et  and (et... et... = both... and...)
 atque (ac)  and (strengthened); what follows is more important than what precedes
 -que  and (this particle is enclitic; it must be appended to the end of the word it couples)
 quoque  also (always follows the word it joins)
 etiam  even, yet, still, also
 Adversative Particles  Meaning (contradiction or difference from the preceding statement)
 sed  but
 autem  however, but
 at  but
 tamen  nevertheless (often combined with [sed, verum, at])
 ceterum  as for the rest, but (common in historians)
 verum  true, true but
 vero  of a truth (placed as the second word of a clause; post-positive)
 Disjunctive Particles  Meaning (one or the other, not both)
 aut  or, or rather, or at least (aut... aut... = either... or...)
 vel  or (if you choose) (vel... vel... = either... or...)
 sive (seu)  si-ve; or if (sive... sive... = whether... or...)
 -ve  or
 Causal Particles  Meaning (because of, explains the cause of the previous statement)
 nam  for (placed at the beginning of a clause)
 enim  for (placed as the second word of a clause; post-positive)
 namque  for (strengthened)
 etenim  et-enim; and indeed
 Inferential Particles  Meaning (consequence, gives result of the previous statement by inference)
 itaque  and so
 igitur  therefore
 ergo  therefore by necessity (strengthened)
 propterea  on that account, therefore

 



 SUBORDINATION:

Subordination is the linking of an dependent CLAUSE to an INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

  • The dependent CLAUSE is inferior in importance (subordinate) to the independent clause which it modifies.

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS and PARTICLES, such as [ut, cum, ne], commonly initiate DEPENDENT clauses.

 




 

Liber Grammaticus Latinus /\\||\\/ Classis Latina Pagina Villae