 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
334
1. The analysis of parts of the sentence which contain two meanings at one and the same time (the so-called
syncretic forms).
2. The analysis of phrases built on one and the same pattern in different syntactical functions (the so-called
syntactical homonyms).
3. The analysis of parts of the sentence whose attribution is dubious due to their nature.
1. Syncretic forms
Difficulties of this kind arise where a part of the sentence contains two meanings at once and it is not always
clear which of them is the predominant. This is usually the case with various classes of adverbials, especially
those expressed by an infinitive, a participle, or phrases and complexes with these verbals.
Here are some examples.
She looked under the cot and laughed to see the girl crouched there.
The work done, I felt as free as a bird.
It growing dark, she hurried the boys home.
In all these sentences the parts in italics express at the same time the idea of the cause of the action of the
predicate verb and an indication of the time of these actions.
In the sentence To hear him talk, you’ll think he's at least ten years old the part in italics combines the idea
of time with that of condition.
In the sentences She was clever enough to keep silent; I’ve watched you work too long to underrate you the
adverbials combine the idea of result with the idea of degree.
Sometimes an adverbial expressed by a noun with a preposition which name the place where the action of
the predicate verb was performed actually denotes rather the time of the action than its place. This is usually
the case where the adverbial is detached, as in: At home, she took off her hat and cloak and hurried to the
kitchen. Here At home has rather the meaning ‘when she came home’.
2. Syntactical homonyms
Sometimes certain difficulties in analysis may arise from the fact that phrases, complexes or clauses of
similar pattern can have different syntactical functions. They are called syntactical homonyms.
Here are a few simple examples:
I’ll do it with great pleasure (adverbial of manner).
She says she’s cut her finger with that table knife (object).
At last there appeared in the distance the house with the green roof (attribute).
He’s always with the losing party (predicative).
He looked as if he did not quite recognize the place (predicative clause).
He looked around as if he did not quite recognize the place (adverbial clause of manner).
The parts in italics have different syntactical functions due to the difference in lexical and grammatical
semantics of the words they comprise, or the words they are connected with, or both.
3. Dubious cases
Difficulties of this kind usually arise because of the subtlety of the border-line between secondary parts of
the sentence expressed by a noun with a preposition or by an infinitive, or sometimes even by a noun without a
preposition, which makes it in some cases hardly possible to tell an object from an adverbial, or an attribute
from an adverbial.
Object or Adverbial
We come across such difficulties in the sentences She was slowly moving towards Mrs. Carver; She made