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Sentence to be analysed: What you say and what you do.These are two subodinate clauses.1)  Why are they subordinate clause when they have subjects and verbs?What is not a subordinating conjunction, so it can't be a subordinate cluase because of that...2)  So why are they subordinate clauses?3)  And the word what, what part of speech is it? That is, what kind of word is it in the sentence, specifically?4)  The underlined words above is a question...I know of interrogative pronouns, but I assume WHY is not one, what is it?. What is this sentence made up of? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5)  Can someone please explain quickly what a complementiser is and a modal verb is. I have a rough idea, but I need your help, still.Thanks, a lot.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi Eddie,

Sentence to be analysed: What you say and what you do.

As I said a moment ago in your other post, I don't want to get involved in parsing this utterance in detail. I'm sure someone else will.

However, I'd just like to go this far.

In the grammar terms I use, these are both subordinate noun clauses (eg I hear what you say. I know what you do).

The problem is that there is no main clause. If you replace each of the noun clauses with a noun, it's like saying 'A table and a chair'. I wouldn't call that a sentence, just as I wouldnt't call 'A table' a sentence.

Best wishes, Clive

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Eddie88Sentence to be analysed: What you say and what you do.

Eddie - this is not a complete sentence, it is not a complete thought, so a proper analysis is futile. Now, we can easily change it to a complete sentence in interrogative mood:
What did you say and what did you do? >> Here, "what" is the direct object of "say"

We can change it to make a sentence with noun clauses:
What you do is more important than what you say. >> Here, "what" is the subject / predicate, of the main clause, and direct object in the subordinate clause.

These are two subodinate clauses.

1) Why are they subordinate clauses when they have subjects and verbs?What is not a subordinating conjunction, so it can't be a subordinate cluase because of that...

2) So why are they subordinate clauses?

3) And the word what, what part of speech is it? That is, what kind of word is it in the sentence, specifically?

4) The underlined words above is a question...I know of interrogative pronouns, but I assume WHY is not one, what is it?. What is this sentence made up of?

Why is an adverb. It asks "for what reason?"

--

5) Can someone please explain quickly what a complementiser is and a modal verb is. I have a rough idea, but I need your help, still.

A modal verb is a helping / auxiliary verb that sets a particular mood. This http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_modal_auxiliary_verb has a list and complete explanation.
Complementizer is a new term for me. It is used in newer theories of grammar. Click on this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complementizer

Thanks, a lot.

Eddie88 · Answer

Hi, AlpheccaStars,

thanks for the links!

Also, I know that the sentence is not an independent clause, but I just don't understand why it is not. For example, I don't understand why SAY isn't a verb in this case, and I don't understand why YOU isn't a subject...

And what is function of what in the sentence, then. And why does adding in the words DID in the sentence make it an indep. clause (I know it does make it an indep caluse, but how?)

If you don't mind trying again to explain it to me, it would be great.

Cheers.

CalifJim · Answer

Eddie88These are two subodinate clauses.

Yes, that's why they don't form a sentence.

Eddie881) Why are they subordinate clause when they have subjects and verbs?

Eddie, Eddie, Eddie!!! We've been through this before.
Almost all clauses have subjects and verbs, whether independent or dependent (=subordinate). There is no reason to be puzzled because a subordinate clause has a subject and a verb. This pattern is as common as mud.

Eddie88What is not a subordinating conjunction, so it can't be a subordinate cluase because of that...
...And the word what, what part of speech is it? Review my previous posts on fused relative structures.
what is the fusion of that which
what you say/do = that which you say/do
which you say and which you do are relative clauses.
that is the antecedent of which. that which you say/do and its equivalent what you say/do are both clauses that act as nouns so they are noun clauses.

what can be called a fused relative pronoun. It is unusual because both the antecedent and the relative pronoun that refers to it are contained within the same word what.
Eddie88So why are they subordinate clauses?
Because they are not independent clauses. They are just noun clauses -- clauses that act like nouns.
Eddie88I know of interrogative pronouns, but I assume WHY is not one, what is it?
You can call it an interrogative adverb. I think some people do call it an interrogative pronoun, however.
Eddie88what a complementiser is
Basically, it's a word that stands in front of a clause that turns the clause into a noun.
The complementizers in English are that, whether, if, and for.
I know that you have studied hard.
I can't decide whether to stay or to go.
It doesn't matter if you do it now or later.
It's important for you to plan the project carefully.
Some writers include all the interrogative pronouns and adverbs in the complementizer category as well when they introduce embedded (i.e., indirect) questions.
Eddie88a modal verb
The modal verbs don't add "s" in the third person singular of the present tense. They are always followed by a bare infinitive (infinitive without to). can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, and must are modal verbs. These nine are the most important ones to know.
CJ

Eddie88 · Answer

Thanks, CJ,

Firstly, haha I, too, would be frustrated if I still didn't know that a subordinate clause had both a subject and a verb included. I was merely saying that I didn't think that what was not a subordinating conjunction, so I didn't think it was an adverbial clause. I simply wanted to know what the word what was playing in the sentence; I thought it was a fused relative pronoun- thanks for helping me!

Is the that in bold above a complementiser?

Also, you say that a complementiser changes a clause into a noun (phrase). In one of your examples it looks as though it is, in fact, a subordinate clause...: It doesn't matter if you do it now or later.

Thanks.

Eddie88 · Answer

Hi, I have re-read what you said about complementisers.

This is how I now interpret what you have said (please correct me if I am wrong):

The complentiser is a conjunction that is used to introduce a subordinate clause- more specifically, a noun clause. Is this correct?

And when you said it changes it from a clause to a noun, did you mean that it changes it from any type of clause to a noun clause, specifically.

The bold above is not a complementiser; this is a relative pronoun introducing a realitve clause.

But here is an example of a complementiser changing an independent clause into a noun clause:

I noticed that he was well known on the street. that he was greeted frequently.

I would really like to know the anser to this. Thanks again, CJ

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