SCONJ: subordinating conjunction
Definition
A subordinating conjunction is a word that links a subordinate clause to its head.
Common subtypes of subordinating conjunctions are:
- Conjunctions that mark complement clauses, like [en] that or whether
- Conjunctions that mark adverbial clauses of different types, like [en] because (causal) or although (concessive)
- Non-pronominal relativizers, like [he] še.
Clarifications on how to distinguish the second type from ADP/CCONJ and the third type from PRON:
- Subordinating conjunctions contrast with coordinating conjunctions, which mark clauses (or other expression types) that are in a relation of coordination rather than subordination; see CCONJ.
- In many languages, adverbial clauses are regularly marked by words that also function as adpositions, like [en] before and after.
If one of the functions is clearly dominant, the tag corresponding to that function (
SCONJor ADP) should be used for all occurrences, and the difference in syntactic function be marked only by the syntactic relation (mark vs. case). If both functions are equally regular, then the tag may alternate with the syntactic relation (mark/SCONJvs.case/ADP). - In the case of relativizers, the tag
SCONJ(and the relation mark) should only be used for words that mark a relative clause without fulfilling a syntactic role in the clause. Relative and resumptive pronouns (like [en] that and which) should be tagged PRON.
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: [bej] [bg] [bm] [cs] [cy] [da] [el] [en] [es] [et] [fi] [fro] [fr] [ga] [grc] [hbo] [hy] [it] [ja] [ka] [kpv] [ky] [myv] [naq] [nmf] [no] [oge] [pcm] [pt] [qpm] [ru] [sl] [sv] [tr] [tt] [uk] [u] [urj] [vi] [xcl] [xmf] [yue] [zh]