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The third and most numerous group of adverbial clauses includes "classical" clauses of different
circumstantial semantics, i.e. semantics connected with the meaning of the principal clause by various cir-
cumstantial associations; here belong clauses of attendant event, condition, cause, reason, result (consequence),
concession, purpose. Thus, the common semantic basis of all these clauses can be defined as "circumstance".
The whole group should be divided into two subgroups, the first being composed by clauses of "attendant
circumstance"; the second, by clauses of "Immediate circumstance".
Clauses of attendant circumstance are not much varied in structure or semantics and come near to clauses of
time. The difference lies in the fact that, unlike clauses of time, the event described by a clause of attendant
circumstance is presented as some sort of background in relation to the event described by the principal clause.
Clauses of attendant circumstance are introduced by the conjunctions while and as. E.g.:
As (while) the reception was going on, Mr. Smiles was engaged in a lively conversation with the pretty
niece of the hostess.
The construction of attendant circumstance may be taken to render contrast; so all the clauses of attendant
circumstance can be classed into "contrastive" (clauses of contrast) and "non-contrastive". The non-contrastive
clause of circumstance has been exemplified above. Here is an example of contrastive attendant circumstance
expressed clausally.
Indeed, there is but this difference between us-that he wears fine clothes while I go in rags, and that while I
am weak from hunger he suffers not a little from overfeeding (0. Wilde).
As is dear from the example, a complex sentence with a contrastive clause of attendant circumstance is
semantically close to a compound sentence, i.e. a composite sentence based on coordination.
Clauses of immediate circumstance present a vast and complicated system of constructions expressing
different explanations of events, reasonings and speculations in connection with them. The system should
relevantly be divided into "factual" clauses of circumstance and "speculative" clauses of circumstance
depending on the real or unreal predicative denotations expressed. This division is of especial significance for
complex sentences with conditional clauses (real condition, problematic condition, unreal condition). Other
types of circumstantial clauses express opposition between factual and speculative semantics with a potential
relation to some kind of condition inherent in the deep associations of the syntactic constructions. E.g.:
Though she disapproved of their endless discussions, she had to put up with them. (Real concession)
>
Though she may disapprove of their discussions, she will have to put up with them. (Speculative concession)
> If she disapproved (had disapproved) of their discussions, why would she put up (have put up) with them?
(Speculative condition)
The argument was so unexpected that for a moment Jack lost his ability to speak. (Real consequence) >
The argument was so unexpected that it would have frustrated Jack's ability to speak if he had understood the
deep meaning of it. (Speculative consequence, based on the speculative condition)
Each type of clauses of circumstance presents its own problems of analysis. On the other hand, it must be
pointed out that all the types of these clauses are inter-related both semantically and paradigmatically, which
may easily be shown by the corresponding transformations and correlations. Some of such correlations have
been shown on the examples above. Compare also:
He opened the window wide that he might hear the conversation below. (Purpose) > Unless he wanted to
hear the conversation below he wouldn't open the window. (Condition) > As he wanted to hear the
conversation below, he opened the window wide and listened. (Cause) > Though he couldn't hear properly the
conversation below, he opened the window and listened. (Concession) > The voices were so low that he
couldn't hear the conversation through the open window. (Consequence) > If
he hadn't opened the window
wide he couldn't have heard the conversation. (Condition)
Certain clausal types of circumstance are closely related to non-circumstantial clausal types. In particular,
this kind of connection is observed between conditional clauses and time clauses and finds its specifically
English expression in the rise of the contaminated tf-and-when-clauses:
If and when the discussion of the issue is renewed, both parties will greatly benefit by it.
Another important variety of clauses of mixed syntactic semantics is formed by concessive clauses
introduced by the connectors ending in -ever. E.g.:
Whoever calls, I'm not at home. However tempting the offer might be, Jim is not in a position to accept it.
Clauses of mixed adverbial semantics present an interesting field of paradigmatic study.
The fourth group of adverbial clauses is formed by parenthetical or insertive constructions. Parenthetical
clauses, as has been stated elsewhere, are joined to the principal clause on a looser basis than the other