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monoconjunctions but, or, nor, and double (discontinuous) conjunctions both ... and, not only ... but also, either
... or, neither ... nor. The conjunctive adverbials are then, so, just, only.
Here are some examples of double-conjunctional formations expressing, respectively, disjunction, simple
copulative relation, copulative antithesis, copulative exclusion:
They either went for long walks over the fields, or joined in a quiet game of chess on the veranda. That
great man was both a soldier and a born diplomat. Mary not only put up with his presence, but tried to be
hospitable. I am neither for the proposal, nor against the proposal; nor participating in that sham discussion of
theirs at all.
Cf. instances of conjunctive-adverbial introduction of predicate expansion rendering the functional meanings
of action ordering (then), of adversative-concessive relation (yet), of consequence (so), of limitation (just):
His beady eyes searched the clearing, then came back to my face. He was the tallest and bravest, yet was
among those to give up life. I knew then that she was laughing, so laughed with her. The Colonel didn't enlarge
on the possible outcome of their adventure, just said a few words of warning against the abrupt turns of the
mountain-pass.
With semi-compound sentences, similar to pleni-compound sentences, but on a larger scale, conjunctions
combine with particle-like elements of modal-adverbial description. These elements supplement and specify the
meaning of the conjunction, so that they receive the status of sub-conJunction specifiers, and the pairs
"conjunction plus sub-conjunctive" become in fact regular conjunctive-coordinative combinations. Here belong
such combinations as and then, and perhaps, and probably, and presently, and so, and consequently, etc.; but
merely, but only, but instead, but nevertheless, etc.; or else, or even, or rather, etc. The specifications given by
the sub-conjunctives are those of change of events, probability evaluation, consequence in reasoning,
concessive contrast, limiting condition, intensity gradation, and many others, more specific ones. E.g.:
He waited for some moments longer and then walked down to the garden to where, on the terrace, the jeep
was parked (H.E. Bates). She lived entirely apart from the contemporary literary world and probably was never
in the company of anyone more talented than herself (J. Austen). To his relief, she was not giving off the
shifting damp heat of her anger, but instead was cool, decisive, material (J. Updike). For several hours I
discussed this with you, or rather vented exhaustive rewordings upon your silent phantom (J. Updike).
§ 3. Of all the diversified means of connecting base sentences into a semi-compound construction the most
important and by far the most broadly used is the conjunction und. Effecting the unmarked semi-compounding
connection of sentences, it renders the widest possible range of syntactic relational meanings; as for its fre-
quency of occurrence, it substantially exceeds that of all the reft of the conjunctives used for semi-
compounding taken together
The functional meanings expressed by the and-semi-compound patterns can be exposed by means of both
coordinative and subordinative correlations. Here are some basic ones:
The officer parked the car at the end of the terrace and went into the Mission. > The officer parked the car
.., then went into the Mission (Succession of events, inviting a coordinative exposition). Suddenly the door
burst open and Tommy rushed in panting for breath. > As the door burst open, Tommy rushed in ... ("Suc-
cessive simultaneity" of actions, inviting a subordinative exposition). Patterton gavelled for attention and
speedily disposed of several routine matters. > Patterton gavelled for attention so that he could dispose and did
dispose of several routine matters (Purpose in successive actions, inviting a subordinative exposition). Her
anger and emotion grew, and finally exploded. > Her anger and emotion grew to the degree that they finally
exploded (Successive actions in gradation, inviting a subordinative exposition). He just miscalculated and won't
admit it. >
Though he miscalculated, he won't admit it (Concession in opposition, inviting a subordinative
exposition). Mary promised to come and he was determined to wait. > He was determined to wait because
Mary had promised to come (Cause and consequence, inviting a subordinative exposition).
Among the various connective meanings expressed by the conjunction and in combination with the
corresponding lexemic constituents of the sentence there are two standing very prominent, due to the regular
correlations existing between such constructions and semi-complex patterns with verbid phrases - infinitival
and participial.
The first construction expresses a subsequent action of incidental or unexpected character:
He leaped up in time to see the Colonel rushing out of the door (.E. Bates). > He leaped up in time and
saw the Colonel rushing out of the door. Walker woke in his bed at the bourbon house to hear a strange hum
and buzz in the air (M. Bradbury). > Walker woke in his bed at the bourbon house and heard a strange hum
and buzz in the air.
In these constructions the leading clause, as a rule, includes verbs of positional or psychological change,