Are these 'that'-clauses complements or adjuncts?
(1) It's a plan [that is being touted as the most modest proposal considered yet in Congress].
Here, the that-clause is a relative clause that modifies the antecedent 'plan', so I believe it's not a complement but an adjunct. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Now, I'm not sure whether the following that-clauses are complements or adjuncts:
(2) It's unfortunate [that we meet under these circumstances].
(3) I have it on good authority [that you are in charge here].
(4) It's for that reason [that she is currently number one].
In (2) and (3), the that-clauses are extraposed, whereas in (4) it's the cleft clause.
complements adjuncts
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
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show 7 more comments
(1) It's a plan [that is being touted as the most modest proposal considered yet in Congress].
Here, the that-clause is a relative clause that modifies the antecedent 'plan', so I believe it's not a complement but an adjunct. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Now, I'm not sure whether the following that-clauses are complements or adjuncts:
(2) It's unfortunate [that we meet under these circumstances].
(3) I have it on good authority [that you are in charge here].
(4) It's for that reason [that she is currently number one].
In (2) and (3), the that-clauses are extraposed, whereas in (4) it's the cleft clause.
complements adjuncts
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
If you could provide a test for identifying complements versus adjuncts, we could do more than give an opinion. And also a test for why it's important to know which one these constructions are.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:32
@JohnLawler As far as I know, distinguishing one from the other is not subject to change in different types of grammars. So I don't know why I should come up with a test myself. Also, I believe the distinguishing is vital to English grammar, so I guess that's why it's important.
– JK2
Jan 5 at 0:42
I don't think it's vital to English grammar. Nothing hinges on it, and if a test can't distinguish it, it's not important enough to care about.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:56
Integrated (defining) relative clauses are normally modifiers, so the relative clause in (1) is modifying “plan”. Complement and adjunct are quite different functions. Adjuncts are modifiers in clause structure, but relatives are modifiers in NP structure. In (2-3) the that clauses are complements. And the bracketed clause in the cleft (4) is a relative clause. Btw, I would avoid calling relatives that clauses since the term is widely used for declarative content clauses, like those in (2-3).
– BillJ
2 days ago
@BillJ Do you mean the cleft clause in (4) is not a complement?
– JK2
2 days ago
|
show 7 more comments
(1) It's a plan [that is being touted as the most modest proposal considered yet in Congress].
Here, the that-clause is a relative clause that modifies the antecedent 'plan', so I believe it's not a complement but an adjunct. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Now, I'm not sure whether the following that-clauses are complements or adjuncts:
(2) It's unfortunate [that we meet under these circumstances].
(3) I have it on good authority [that you are in charge here].
(4) It's for that reason [that she is currently number one].
In (2) and (3), the that-clauses are extraposed, whereas in (4) it's the cleft clause.
complements adjuncts
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
(1) It's a plan [that is being touted as the most modest proposal considered yet in Congress].
Here, the that-clause is a relative clause that modifies the antecedent 'plan', so I believe it's not a complement but an adjunct. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Now, I'm not sure whether the following that-clauses are complements or adjuncts:
(2) It's unfortunate [that we meet under these circumstances].
(3) I have it on good authority [that you are in charge here].
(4) It's for that reason [that she is currently number one].
In (2) and (3), the that-clauses are extraposed, whereas in (4) it's the cleft clause.
complements adjuncts
complements adjuncts
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
edited 2 days ago
BillJ
4,0831913
4,0831913
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
asked Jan 4 at 21:50
JK2JK2
13411651
13411651
If you could provide a test for identifying complements versus adjuncts, we could do more than give an opinion. And also a test for why it's important to know which one these constructions are.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:32
@JohnLawler As far as I know, distinguishing one from the other is not subject to change in different types of grammars. So I don't know why I should come up with a test myself. Also, I believe the distinguishing is vital to English grammar, so I guess that's why it's important.
– JK2
Jan 5 at 0:42
I don't think it's vital to English grammar. Nothing hinges on it, and if a test can't distinguish it, it's not important enough to care about.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:56
Integrated (defining) relative clauses are normally modifiers, so the relative clause in (1) is modifying “plan”. Complement and adjunct are quite different functions. Adjuncts are modifiers in clause structure, but relatives are modifiers in NP structure. In (2-3) the that clauses are complements. And the bracketed clause in the cleft (4) is a relative clause. Btw, I would avoid calling relatives that clauses since the term is widely used for declarative content clauses, like those in (2-3).
– BillJ
2 days ago
@BillJ Do you mean the cleft clause in (4) is not a complement?
– JK2
2 days ago
|
show 7 more comments
If you could provide a test for identifying complements versus adjuncts, we could do more than give an opinion. And also a test for why it's important to know which one these constructions are.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:32
@JohnLawler As far as I know, distinguishing one from the other is not subject to change in different types of grammars. So I don't know why I should come up with a test myself. Also, I believe the distinguishing is vital to English grammar, so I guess that's why it's important.
– JK2
Jan 5 at 0:42
I don't think it's vital to English grammar. Nothing hinges on it, and if a test can't distinguish it, it's not important enough to care about.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:56
Integrated (defining) relative clauses are normally modifiers, so the relative clause in (1) is modifying “plan”. Complement and adjunct are quite different functions. Adjuncts are modifiers in clause structure, but relatives are modifiers in NP structure. In (2-3) the that clauses are complements. And the bracketed clause in the cleft (4) is a relative clause. Btw, I would avoid calling relatives that clauses since the term is widely used for declarative content clauses, like those in (2-3).
– BillJ
2 days ago
@BillJ Do you mean the cleft clause in (4) is not a complement?
– JK2
2 days ago
If you could provide a test for identifying complements versus adjuncts, we could do more than give an opinion. And also a test for why it's important to know which one these constructions are.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:32
If you could provide a test for identifying complements versus adjuncts, we could do more than give an opinion. And also a test for why it's important to know which one these constructions are.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:32
@JohnLawler As far as I know, distinguishing one from the other is not subject to change in different types of grammars. So I don't know why I should come up with a test myself. Also, I believe the distinguishing is vital to English grammar, so I guess that's why it's important.
– JK2
Jan 5 at 0:42
@JohnLawler As far as I know, distinguishing one from the other is not subject to change in different types of grammars. So I don't know why I should come up with a test myself. Also, I believe the distinguishing is vital to English grammar, so I guess that's why it's important.
– JK2
Jan 5 at 0:42
I don't think it's vital to English grammar. Nothing hinges on it, and if a test can't distinguish it, it's not important enough to care about.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:56
I don't think it's vital to English grammar. Nothing hinges on it, and if a test can't distinguish it, it's not important enough to care about.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:56
Integrated (defining) relative clauses are normally modifiers, so the relative clause in (1) is modifying “plan”. Complement and adjunct are quite different functions. Adjuncts are modifiers in clause structure, but relatives are modifiers in NP structure. In (2-3) the that clauses are complements. And the bracketed clause in the cleft (4) is a relative clause. Btw, I would avoid calling relatives that clauses since the term is widely used for declarative content clauses, like those in (2-3).
– BillJ
2 days ago
Integrated (defining) relative clauses are normally modifiers, so the relative clause in (1) is modifying “plan”. Complement and adjunct are quite different functions. Adjuncts are modifiers in clause structure, but relatives are modifiers in NP structure. In (2-3) the that clauses are complements. And the bracketed clause in the cleft (4) is a relative clause. Btw, I would avoid calling relatives that clauses since the term is widely used for declarative content clauses, like those in (2-3).
– BillJ
2 days ago
@BillJ Do you mean the cleft clause in (4) is not a complement?
– JK2
2 days ago
@BillJ Do you mean the cleft clause in (4) is not a complement?
– JK2
2 days ago
|
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If you could provide a test for identifying complements versus adjuncts, we could do more than give an opinion. And also a test for why it's important to know which one these constructions are.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:32
@JohnLawler As far as I know, distinguishing one from the other is not subject to change in different types of grammars. So I don't know why I should come up with a test myself. Also, I believe the distinguishing is vital to English grammar, so I guess that's why it's important.
– JK2
Jan 5 at 0:42
I don't think it's vital to English grammar. Nothing hinges on it, and if a test can't distinguish it, it's not important enough to care about.
– John Lawler
Jan 5 at 0:56
Integrated (defining) relative clauses are normally modifiers, so the relative clause in (1) is modifying “plan”. Complement and adjunct are quite different functions. Adjuncts are modifiers in clause structure, but relatives are modifiers in NP structure. In (2-3) the that clauses are complements. And the bracketed clause in the cleft (4) is a relative clause. Btw, I would avoid calling relatives that clauses since the term is widely used for declarative content clauses, like those in (2-3).
– BillJ
2 days ago
@BillJ Do you mean the cleft clause in (4) is not a complement?
– JK2
2 days ago