Syntax- přednášky

Special ellipsis

Coordination

Sam has trimmed the hedge and (Sam has) mowed the lawn.

Non-finite clauses

(Since/because/as they were) considered works of art, they were admitted into the country without customs duties.

→ the context can be ambiguous – more than one meaning

Verbless clauses – limited to two clause types: SVC, SVA

Once a thief, always a thief. (verbless clause – special kind of ellipsis)

Comparative clauses

Jane is as healthy as her sister (is).

Jane is healthier than her sister (is).

He loves his dog more than (he loves) his children. (Má radši psa než děti. X Má rád psa víc než děti mají rády psa. )

Anaphoric (antecedent precedes)

Cataphoric (antecedent follows)

Textual FUNCTIONAL TYPE General Nonfinite and verbless clauses

RECOVERABILITY TYPE Situational Special Coordinate constructions

Structural Comparative clauses

Initial

FORMAL TYPE (Medial)

Final

True or False?

1. Ellipsis is the omission of disposable elements of sentences. T or F

2. Situational ellipsis is a feature of informal conversation. T or F

3. We can omit words already used, but we never omit words in later use T or F in the same sentences.

4. We often omit initial unstressed words in shorter spoken exchanges. T or F

5. When ellipsis occurs, most people can agree on what has been omitted. T or F

6. Short answers are an example of ellipsis. T or F

7. We tend not to repeat common elements (subject, auxiliary verb, operator)

of coordinated sentences. T or F

1. Ellipsis is less common in subordinate than in coordinate clauses.

(subject is not usually repeated in coordinate clauses) T or F

1. We omit the subject of a subordinate clause which repeats the main T or F clause subject. (I have to go because I have something to do. – we have

to repeat it again)

1. Ellipsis is the mark of an uneducated speaker. T or F

Negation

• Only one negation in English

• In Czech more – nikdo mě nikdy neměl rád

They have not finished. → They haven’t finished. / They’ve not finished.

Different meaning:

Many people did not come to the party. – it emphasizes absence of many people

Not many people came to the party. – it emphasize presence of few people

Seldom, rarely, scarcely, hardly, barely, little, few (in contrast to the positive a little and a few)

They scarcely seem to care, .................................................... ?

• We have to add: “do they?”

• “They scarcely seem to care” is negative in meaning, the second part of the sentence has to be positive (do they)

I hardly have any friends, and .......................................................... ?

• “hardly” has negative meaning

• “and neither do you”

1 person speaking:

You are clever,……………. ? = že ano, že ne

Pozitivní negativní → You are clever, aren’t you?

2 people speaking:

1: You are clever. 2: Am I? = Opravdu? Jsem?

• When the negative item positioned initially = inversion

Not a word would he say.

Never will I make that mistake again.

Exceptionally - Two negatives: