SCONJ: subordinating conjunction
Definition
A subordinating conjunction is a conjunction that links constructions by making one of them a constituent of the other. The subordinating conjunction typically marks the incorporated constituent which has the status of a (subordinate) clause.
We follow Loos et al. 2003 in recognizing these three subclasses as subordinating conjunctions:
- Complementizers, like [en] that or if
- Adverbial clause introducers, like [en] when, since, or before (when introducing a clause not a nominal)
- Relativizers, like [he] še. (Note that these words, which simply introduce a relative caluse, and normally don’t inflect, need to be distinguished from relative or resumptive pronouns, which have a nominal function within the relative clause and which we analyze as PRON.)
For coordinating conjunctions, see CONJ.
Examples
- that as in I believe that he will come.
- if
- while
References
- Loos, Eugene E., et al. 2003. Glossary of linguistic terms: What is a subordinating conjunction?
- Wikipedia
SCONJ in other languages: [bg] [cs] [de] [el] [en] [es] [eu] [fa] [fi] [fr] [ga] [he] [hu] [it] [ja] [ko] [sv] [u]