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.
Subordinating conjunctions in Cantonese include all markers of subordinate clauses, including conditional clauses, purpose clauses, etc.
In paired clauses where both clauses are marked by a conjunctive word and the first is subordinate to the second, we treat the conjunctive word in the first clause as SCONJ, whereas the one in the second, main clause as an adverb (ADV) (e.g., 雖然/SCONJ… 但係/ADV… / seoi1jin4… daan6hai6… “Although… however…”).
Examples
- 如果 / jyu4gwo2 “if”, 嘅話 / ge3waa6 “if”
- 雖然 / seoi1jin4 “although”
- 即管 / zik1gwun2 “even if”
- 無論 / mou6leon3 “no matter”
- 嚟 / lei4 “(in order) to”
- 你 慳 嚟 做 乜 呀 ? / nei5 haan1 lei4 zou6 mat1 aa1 “What are you being thrifty for? (lit. You save to do what?)”
SCONJ in other languages: [bej] [bg] [bm] [cs] [cy] [da] [el] [en] [es] [et] [fi] [fro] [fr] [ga] [grc] [hy] [it] [ja] [ka] [kpv] [ky] [myv] [no] [pcm] [pt] [qpm] [ru] [sl] [sv] [tr] [tt] [uk] [u] [urj] [vi] [xcl] [yue] [zh]