Complementizers

Definition

Complementizers are words that introduce complement clauses, which serve to provide additional information about a verb or an adjective within a sentence. They play a crucial role in syntactic structures by connecting independent clauses with dependent clauses, often indicating relationships such as causation, condition, or purpose.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Complementizers can be classified into various types, including 'that', 'if', and 'whether', each serving specific syntactic functions.
2. They are essential for forming embedded clauses, allowing the inclusion of additional information without creating run-on sentences.
3. In English, the omission of the complementizer 'that' is common in informal speech, but its presence can clarify meaning in more complex sentences.
4. Complementizers can signal different types of relationships; for example, 'if' introduces conditional clauses while 'that' introduces statements or assertions.
5. The position of complementizers within a sentence can vary based on the syntactic structure, affecting how other elements in the sentence are interpreted.

Review Questions

• How do complementizers function in establishing relationships between clauses?
  • Complementizers function by introducing subordinate clauses that provide additional context or information related to the main clause. For instance, in the sentence 'I believe that you are correct,' 'that' acts as a complementizer connecting the main clause 'I believe' with the subordinate clause 'you are correct.' This connection helps to clarify the relationship between the two ideas, indicating that one is dependent on the other for full meaning.
• Discuss the role of different types of complementizers in sentence structure and meaning.
  • Different types of complementizers serve unique roles in shaping sentence structure and meaning. For instance, 'that' typically introduces declarative clauses that assert information, while 'if' introduces conditional clauses that set up hypothetical situations. The choice of complementizer can influence how listeners interpret the relationship between ideas and the intent behind statements. Understanding these distinctions helps in analyzing complex sentences and their meanings.
• Evaluate the impact of complementizer omission on sentence clarity and comprehension in various contexts.
  • Omitting complementizers like 'that' can significantly affect sentence clarity and comprehension, especially in complex sentences. While native speakers often drop 'that' in informal contexts without losing meaning, its absence can lead to ambiguity or confusion in more formal writing. Analyzing sentences with and without complementizers highlights how their presence can clarify relationships between clauses, making arguments and assertions more explicit for the reader.

Related terms

Subordination:

The grammatical relationship in which one clause is dependent on another, typically signaled by complementizers.

Clause: A group of words containing a subject and a predicate that can function independently or as part of a larger sentence.

Embedding: The process of placing one clause inside another, often facilitated by complementizers to create more complex sentence structures.