Each language, including Russian, contains a large number of words. But these linguistic units mean nothing without proper design. And here the syntax comes to the rescue. The basic units of syntax are precisely responsible for the grammatical connection of words into sentences, which make up human speech, written and oral. Knowledge of this important section of the science of language will help to correctly and competently shape your thoughts. Syntax in the language system, the basic units of syntax, and consider below.
Syntax - A Special Section of Language Science
The structure of syntactic units, their meaning and interaction is studied by a section of grammar called “syntax”. This is a word of Greek origin, meaning "compilation" or "construction." Thus, the section studies how to construct the basic units of syntax — the phrase and sentence — from the entire set of words. If this section of the grammar is mastered at the proper level, speech will be harmonious, logical and diverse.
The syntax is inextricably linked with punctuation. This is a system of rules that governs punctuation. They help divide the text into sentences, as well as logically format the syntactic units themselves.
Basic units
The basic units of syntax are collocation and sentence. Each of them has its own characteristics and purpose. Also, units of syntax include text and a complex syntactic whole.
We'll figure out what the basic units of syntax are. The table will help with this.
Collocation | Sentence |
It does not have a communicative function, serves for grammatical and semantic connection of words among themselves. | Minimal communicative unit, is used for the design of oral and written speech. Predicative. |
Simple | Difficult |
One grammatical basis | Two grammar basics |
Net, wooden table, slow down the movement, jump high. | The forest today is unusually beautiful. He felt very sad. | I came to pay my respects. Nature comes to life: in some places one can already hear the birds singing. |
Subordination
So, we said what syntax is, the basic units of syntax. The syntactic relations determine how the relations between the latter are realized. There are two types of communication that can connect the words in the phrase that make up the elements of the sentence: composing and subordinate.
When we talk about the latter, this implies that it is possible to highlight the main part and the one that will depend on it. In other words, the main one - from which it is necessary to ask a question, the dependent one - to which it is posed.
Let's look at some examples: know (what?) The exact time. In this phrase, “know” will be the main word, “time” - dependent.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring to me. Here we already have a complex proposal with a subordinate connection between the parts. From the first - “I know” - we ask a question to the subordinate clause (what?) “What will tomorrow bring me”.
Submission methods
Subordination is implemented in several ways. This is most noticeable inside the phrase.
- Matching: when changing the entire syntactic unit of the word form, its constituents also change. Wicker basket; wicker basket, about wicker basket. The dependent words in this case may be participles, adjectives, ordinal numbers and pronouns-adjectives.
- Management: the dependent word remains unchanged, while the main thing can change the grammatical form. Describes the landscape - described the landscape - describes the landscape - described the landscape. Dependent words: nouns, verbs, adjectives and quantitative numerals.
- Adjacency: communication only in meaning. Went staggering, very beautiful, went to work. Here, all the immutable parts of speech will be dependent .
Composing Link
In contrast to submission, a compositional connection connects absolutely equal parts. It can be either special combinations of words: flowers and herbs, walked and rejoiced, or components of a complex sentence: "The street soon died down, but the anxiety grew in the house."
Here we do not single out the main and dependent words; this connection is framed intonationally or with the help of creative unions. Compare: "He walked, cried, did not notice anyone. - He walked and cried." In the first case, only intonation is used, in the second - union and (connective connective).
The phrase. Types of Phrases
So, it was described above what the basic units of syntax are. The phrase is the most minimal of them. It represents two or more words connected in meaning, intonationally or grammatically. Phrases are singled out from sentences, because they are an integral part of them. This is done as follows: A drizzle is drizzling on the street.
- First, the grammatical basis is determined. It is not a phrase. Rain drizzles.
- Next, we ask questions from the subject: the rain (which?) Is shallow.
- After that, from the predicate: drizzles (where?) On the street.
By what part of the speech the main word refers to, all phrases are divided into nominal (oak table, each of the guests is capable of learning); verb (walked stumbling, speak clearly) and adverbial (very fun, to the right of the road, somewhere in the store).
Also, phrases are divided into simple and complex.
In the first, only one question is possible: the sun (what?) Is bright and radiant. Sophisticated are more common. Compare: read (what?) Magazine (simple) and read (what) popular science magazine. In the last example, from the word magazine, a question is also asked to the word popular science, so the phrase is complicated.
Allocate free and integral phrases. The first are different in that each word from their composition is a full-fledged member of the sentence. The second in the sentence is not divided into its component parts. Only two students passed the session perfectly. "Two students" is essentially a phrase, but in the sentence acts as a subject, so it can be described as whole.
Not a phrase
It should be remembered that phrases are never:
- Subject and predicate.
- Homogeneous members of the proposal.
- Phraseologisms (they should not be confused with whole phrases, which are one member of the sentence: three sisters, a boy with a girl, etc.).
- Combinations of a service word and an independent part of speech: during the day (preposition and noun), so does he (union and pronoun), which is ignorant (particle and noun).
- Complex forms: I will read (future tense), the highest (superlative), more calm (comparative), let it go (imperative).
Offer and its features
We already know that the basic units of syntax are a phrase and a sentence, however, the latter is the most important. After all, our speech consists precisely of sentences: with them we think and speak, composing a coherent text.
What characterizes the sentence as the main unit of syntax? The grammatical basis is the indicator that distinguishes it from a phrase or a simple set of words. This feature is also called predicativity, because it is the predicate that bears in itself an indicator of the reality or unreality of what is happening. It is expressed through the mood of the verb.
Also, the sentence as the main unit of syntax is characterized by logical and intonational completeness. This is a short statement, the design of a certain thought about the subject of conversation. It cannot be confused with the phrase, because in the last logical completeness is not traced - it is just a grammatically related set of words.
Grammar
Each sentence has a grammatical basis. This is an indicator of its structure - the most important characteristic.
The predicative basis can be represented as subject and predicate, as well as each of them individually.
For example, the sentence: "We saw the long-awaited land." There are both main members here. Another thing is a proposal of this kind: "The long-awaited land has become visible." Here, from the base, only the predicate is visible.
It is by the number of predicative foundations that the most important characteristic is given: a simple sentence in front of us or a complex one.
Briefly analyze each main member. The subject shows us the subject of speech, indicates what the sentence says. The predicate means what the subject does, what it is, who or what it is. Three types of this main term are distinguished by structure and meaning: simple and compound, verbal and nominal.
What are the offers
It is precisely sentences that for the most part study syntax. The basic units of syntax are characterized by many parameters.
Regardless of the number of predicative bases, suggestions for:
- The purpose of the statement. Communicating with each other, people can report some facts (narrative sentences), ask (interrogative) or appeal to some action (compelling). At the end of such syntactic units, a dot, a question mark or an exclamation point are placed respectively.
- Emotional coloring. Exclamation and non-exclamation sentences are distinguished. It should be noted that the former may not necessarily be exclusively incentive. For example, the sentence: What a ridiculous situation! We will characterize it as narrative, but exclamatory. It’s all to blame for the modal particle that expresses admiration.
Characteristics of simple sentences
Simple sentences are the basic units of syntax. Briefly analyze their most important characteristics.
- One-part or two-part. The grammatical basis will indicate this. If it is represented by one of the members, the proposal will be one-part. Otherwise, two-part. If a sentence has only a subject or predicate, it is necessary to indicate its type (definitely or indefinitely personal, callative or impersonal).
- Common or not. Minor members are responsible for this characteristic. If there is at least one of them, the offer is widespread.
- Full or incomplete. The latter are characteristic of oral speech: a member is missing in them. Thus, it is not possible to build a logical chain without neighboring sentences. For example: "Do you read a book?" “No, the magazine.” The answer to this question is an incomplete proposal.
- A simple sentence can be complicated. This is also one of its characteristics. Separate and secondary members, both common and non-existent, as well as homogeneous constructions, introductory words, and references, act as complicating elements.
Offers simple and complex
Russian syntax is very diverse. Basic syntax units are simple and complex sentences. Let’s figure out what is the difference between them.
If the syntactic unit has one grammatical basis, then we will talk about a simple sentence. Today the wind is very noisy. The characterization of such a proposal will follow the plan presented above.
There are times when a syntax unit consists of several simple ones. Then it will be a difficult offer.
It is most difficult to distinguish a simple sentence with homogeneous predicates from a complex one. Here you need to carefully look at the subject. If it is one subject that performs various actions, then the proposal will be simple. Let's look at some examples:
"They walked the streets of the city and enjoyed their freedom." - "They walked the streets of the city, and the newfound freedom gave them strength." The first sentence is simple. There is only one predicative basis, complicated by homogeneous predicates: they walked, enjoyed. The second sentence will be difficult, because there are two grammatical foundations: they walked, freedom gave.
Types of links in complex sentences
As described above, the basic units of syntax are sentences. If we talk about complex structures, their most important characteristic will be the type of connection between the parts. The syntax also deals with these phenomena. The basic units of syntax, complex sentences, may include parts connected by a subordinate and composing link. Depending on this, a gradation occurs for compound and complex sentences.
We will understand each type in more detail. The components of complex sentences are equal. This equality provides them with a special, composing connection. It is expressed in the fact that in the construction of sentences composing unions are used. Thus, the question from one simple sentence to another is impossible.
Example: "I want to bring everything back, but something constantly bothers me." This proposal is complex, the parts are connected by an adversarial union no.
Also not the last role in the formation of a complex sentence is played by intonation: at the end of each simple sentence it goes down - this characterizes the logical completeness.
Complex syntactic integer
What other elements does the Russian syntax include? The basic units of syntax are also complex sentences. They consist of elements where one depends on the other. That is, between the simple parts of such a proposal, one can always ask the question: "The clearing (which?) That we entered was hidden from prying eyes."
Such a relationship is realized through subordinate conjunctions and intonation, descending to the end of each simple sentence.
Do not forget that there is a union-free connection. It implies the absence of formal elements between the parts, only intonational completeness: the river was noisy and seethed; ships sailing on it were afraid for their safety.
We've figured out what the Russian syntax includes. The basic syntactic units, sentence and phrase, form other structures called a complex syntactic whole. And it, in turn, is already forming a text. Inside it, just as in any other syntax element, there are grammatical, semantic and even formal connections (for example, the unions with which the next sentence begins).
What is a complex syntactic integer? This is a group of sentences, simple and complex, logically interconnected by one basic idea. In other words, a complex syntactic whole is a microtheme that contains an intermediate meaning. As a rule, it is limited to paragraph division.
There are frequent cases when the text is the syntactic whole. As a rule, these are small stories with one short storyline.