Sentence Structure and Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide
Item 7: Simple Sentence Analysis
1. Word Order and Affective Order
In Castilian, the standard word order is logical: Subject (S) + Verb (V). Unstressed pronouns follow a specific order: Indirect Object precedes Direct Object, and both precede the verb, except in infinitives, gerunds, and imperative forms where they are enclitic. However, elements can be rearranged for affective purposes, emphasizing important information or expressing emotions. This often involves anticipating key elements, or placing them at the end of the sentence for emphasis, especially in interrogative and exclamatory structures.
2. Sentence Modalities
Sentence modalities reflect the speaker’s attitude and intention. They include:
- Declarative: Makes a statement, expressing agreement, disagreement, or doubt.
- Interrogative: Asks a question (total/partial, direct/indirect).
- Exclamatory: Expresses strong emotion (direct/indirect).
- Hortatory: Expresses a request, desire, warning, or command (optative/imperative).
Declarative intonation is used not only in assertive sentences but also in indirect interrogatives/exclamatives and some hortatory sentences. Negative sentences use the subjunctive instead of the imperative. Interrogative intonation can be used not only to question but also to affirm, deny, or command. Hortatory sentences use either optative (introduced by “que”) or imperative verb forms.
3. Predicate Structures: Attributive and Equational
Attributive Verbs: Ser (permanent qualities) and estar (temporary states). Other attributive verbs include ser (exist, occur), and estar (persistence, final state). Attributive verbs can be omitted in colloquial, poetic, or proverbial language. The attribute can be an adjective, participle, noun phrase, prepositional phrase, adverb, or subordinate clause.
Equational Structure: The verb ser expresses equality rather than attribution. The first element is the subject of the equation and often carries emphasis.
4. Predicative or Verbal Predicate
Transitive Verbs:
- Reflexive and reciprocal sentences.
- Sentences with the verb haber.
- Sentences with both direct and indirect objects.
Intransitive Verbs:
- Attributive verbs without an attribute.
- Transitive verbs without a direct object.
- Pronominal verbs with indirect objects or other complements.
- Pronominal verbs without governed objects.
- Structures with an indirect object pronoun as the subject.
Impersonal Sentences
Sentences lacking a subject occur when:
- The subject is unknown or intentionally omitted.
- The speaker makes a universal statement.
- The speaker uses an impersonal verb (e.g., haber, hacer, ser in first person singular, weather verbs).
5. Vocative and Interjection
The vocative is a direct address, used to call or invoke someone. It has an appellative function. Interjections are exclamatory expressions without a referent, conveying emotion.
Item 8: Compound Sentences
1. Classification
Compound sentences consist of two or more predicates, each corresponding to a proposition. Coordination links propositions without establishing dependency, while subordination creates a hierarchy.
2. Coordination
- Juxtaposition: Propositions are linked semantically rather than by conjunctions, common in impressionistic, narrative, and lyrical prose.
- Coordination with conjunctions.
3. Substantive Subordination
Substantive clauses function like nouns. Common structures include:
- Introduced by que.
- Infinitive clauses.
- Introduced by que, quien.
3.1 Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct Speech: Reproduces exact words, using quotation marks and dialogue markers.
Indirect Speech: Reports the speaker’s message through a reporting verb and a conjunction (que, si), often embedding indirect questions.
4. Adjectival Subordinate Clauses
Adjectival clauses function like adjectives. They are introduced by relative pronouns (que, quien, el cual), relative adverbs (donde, como, cuando), or determiners.
5. Adverbial Subordinate Clauses
Adverbial clauses function like adverbs. They express place, time, manner, quantity.
6. Circumstantial Subordinate Clauses
Circumstantial clauses express comparison, condition, concession, cause, consequence, or purpose. They are not equivalent to adverbs.
- Comparative: Use correlative elements (más…que, tan…como).
- Conditional: Express a condition for the main action.
- Concessive: Present an objection that doesn’t prevent the main action.
- Causal: Express the reason for the main action (actual cause) or a fact from which the main action follows (logical cause).
- Consecutive: Express the result of the main action.
- Final: Express the purpose of the main action.