GROUP ASSIGNMENT

SKBE 1023
STRUCTURE IN CONTEXT

ROHANA BINTI CHE NORDIN NORASHIKIN BINTI ISMAIL MOHAMAD SAFWAN BIN AB. WAHAB

A 138615 A 137545 A 138111

TO : PROF. DR. PRAMELA KRISH A/P N. KRISHNASAMY

Notes 2 : SKBE 1023 /7.5.12 Pair/Group Project In pairs or groups of threes, COMPARE two texts from an academic text(university reference book) and a non academic text (story book) , about 300-400 words from each text. Identify and compare the frequency of either (a) simple sentences versus complex sentences OR ( b) non finite versus finite clauses.(Choose only one) It should a. Be typed in an A 4 paper of about 1500 words ( do not include the texts for analysis and references)and clearly presented. b. Make sure you give support to your answers at all times when you identify the clause types based on your readings.(i.e why have you identified a sentence type as a simple/complex sentence ?(if you have chosen (a)or a finite/non-finite clause, if you have chosen (b)? c. You must analyse the frequency of occurrence. Which sentence types (if you choose a) are more frequent in academic texts? non-academic texts? Or which clause types occur more frequently in academic texts, nonfinite or finite? d. Include a minimum of 3 references from reliable sources for your work. e. Submission of project: week 14

Topic Sources

: Analysis of non academic text : Story books (Garfield by Jim Davis)

FINITE CLAUSE

The first element that we would like investigate is about the subordinates because it is one of the finites types. There are three basic of finite subordinates clauses which occurs more in the non academic textbook. First is about the noun clauses because it functions as direct object and every sentence need direct object to make it perfect. Story books and magazines are the place where the writers conclude their opinion, thought and belief, therefore the sentences probably a noun clause functioning as a direct object. For example:

1. I believe that the foods is delicious and really good for your health. (Garfield:by Jim Davis) 2. I feel like I could conquer the world today. (Garfield:by Jim Davis)

When we read the entire dialog in this story books, we can conclude that this clause has high frequency used rather than relative clause and also adverb clause. Why this clause is not high used in the non academic text? All the story books have short dialog and they not even bother to describe it detail or giving any explanation. Relative clause functions as post modifier of the noun and adverb clause function as adverbial and the sentences is long and come with complex sentences and even the compound sentence. Let us the example:

Jon Garfield Jon

: I am waiting my women to call Garfield. : who? Nobody : Oh! She dump me last night.

*I am waiting my women who dumped me last night to call me*

The word who actually can be the signal for adverb clause because it functions as the post modifier of the noun but in the non academic text the author free to make it separated and we cannot see the rules of the sentence. Second, the author in the non academic journal such as story books loves to omit the word which we call it the ellipsis. Almost all the dialog omitting certain words but still the readers understands about the meaning of the dialog. For example:

Jon

: Laugh and the world laughs with you.

Full sentences: If you laugh, the world will laugh with you.

Here we can conclude that, ellipsis is used frequently in this book because the author want to make the dialogs short, fun but still understand by the readers.

NON FINITE CLAUSE When we analysis this book we conclude that ing participle in subjectless non finite mostly in all the dialog because the author want to make the dialog short, fun to read and also simple sentence. However there are more than 8 times repeated using the bare infinitive and we also believe that in this journal, the author also prefer to use bare infinitive subjectless and with subject. When we analyse deep more we found that bare infinite and -ing participle (subjectless and with subject) are more to non formal writing and when we read again the sentences, it seems like the author or the character talk to us. It is important to the author because when they write the story book they need to focus in writing the simple sentences with full of their information into it. To make it more clear view we attached some example from this book. I dont have Sunday date Garfield! I can`t wait and wait and wait. (bare infinitive for subjectless) This wont fit in you Garfield. I wont depressed myself. (bare infinitive with subject)

These are examples of -ing participle subjectless that occurs more than 11 times in this journal.

I am looking at weirdo walking man. Giving her enough time to call me for the date Smiling makes me wonderful man without stress Eating lasagne makes you lazy Garfield.

Topic Sources

: Analysis of academic text : Online journal (Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GlobalWarming/

FINITE CLAUSE

As we read this article, regarding global warming, we detected the usage of finite clause in this clause. As we all know, finite clause is independent clause. The example is: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.

The sentence can stand on its own without adding extra information to it. The meaning itself is already clear to the reader and the most important thing is the sentence is not dangling. From the same example as above, we also can see that finite clause carry tense. In the sentence, is show that the sentence is present tense. So, it prove that finite clause carry tense. In this article, we see that it use a lot of subordinate clause in sentence. Usually, finite clause contains subordinate in the sentence. Basic of finite subordinates clauses is about the noun clauses because it functions as direct object and every sentence need direct object to make it perfect. For example:

It turns out that the global average temperature is quite stable over long periods of time, ... What has scientists concerned now is that over the past 250 years humans have been artificially raising the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at an everincreasing rate.

Far from being some future fear, global warming is happening now, and scientists have evidence that humans are to blame.

As we know, in academic text, there is no ellipsis occur. Ellipsis is the omission of one or two words in a sentence to avoid repetition. It is the same happen in this article. After we read all the text, we found that there is no ellipsis. Ellipsis usually occurs in daily conversation but not in academic texts. So, we can conclude that there is no ellipsis in this text.

NON FINITE CLAUSE

Next, we continue the analysis to non finite clause in academic text. The identification and classification of non finite clauses is rather more difficult and there remain many unsolved problems. We can classify non finite clauses according to the TYPE OF NON FINITE VERB they contain and also by WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A SUBJECT. The occurrence of the different types of non finite clauses depends on the matrix verb and it seems to be quite idiosyncratic. The tables below show the example of basic types of non finite clauses in English :

Clause type to-infinitive bare infinitive -ing infinitive -ed participle I want TO STUDY ENGLISH. I dont dare GO HOME NOW. I love PLAYING THE PIANO.

Example

SURPRISED BY A SECURITY GUARD, he ran quickly.

Table 1 : Four types of subjectless non finite clause (non finite clause is capitalised).

Clause type to-infinitive bare infinitive -ing infinitive -ed participle

Example I want JOHN TO STUDY ENGLISH. I didnt see HER GO HOME. I love YOU PLAYING THE PIANO. I watch HIM CAUGHT BY A SECURITY GUARD.

Table 2 : Four types of non finite clause with a subject ( non finite clause is capitalised).

NON FINITE CLAUSE WITH A SUBJECT

The analysis of non finite clause with a subject is rather problematical. When we analyze more to the content of the journal, there are so many complex sentences which occur with the non finite clause with a subject. The intension of the writer is probably wants to give more information and elaboration on each facts. For instance :

Sentence 1 : When light from the Sun reaches the Earth, roughly 30 percent of it is reflected back into space by clouds, atmospheric particles, reflective ground surface and even ocean surf. (Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

The sentence above is in the ed-participle form and with a subject. Notice that the subject of non finite clause can be moved to the front to form a passive sentence.

Passive form : Clouds, atmospheric particles, reflective ground surface and even ocean surf reflected roughly 30 percent of the light from the Sun reaches the Earth back into space. (Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

We call this the NONFINITE PASSIVE TEST. The elements following reflected can be separated, so they are not analysed as a direct object as if it is direct object, it cannot be broken up.

Next we also can modify the sentence to make the non finite clause the focus of a PSEUDOCLEFT sentence which a sentence that begins with what and has a single constituent in sharp focus at the end.

Pseudo-cleft form : *What was reflected was roughly 30 percent of the light from the Sun reaches the Earth back into space by clouds, atmospheric particles, reflective ground surface and even ocean surf.

(Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

When using the pseudo-cleft test, the sentence became weird although we still can understand the message. It shows the verb like reflected where a comparable pseudo-cleft is not possible, we say that the verb is followed by an indirect object (30 percent of the light from the Sun reaches the Earth in this case) and direct object (clouds, atmospheric particles, reflective ground surface and even ocean surf). So the sentence is in ditransitive form. Here are table to summarise the use of non finite passive test and the pseudo-cleft test to determine the structure of a sentence which contains a non finite clause with a subject.

Clause type Monotransitive Ditransitive Complex transitive

Non finite passive test Fail Pass Pass

Pseudo-cleft test Pass Fail Pass

In conclusion, these test allow us to determine whether a non finite clause and its subject constituent a single element (monotransitive), do not constituent a single element (ditransitive) or are indeterminate (complex transitive). Besides that, there are number of sentences more that occur with to infinitive, bare infinitive, -ing participle and also en participle in the journal.

SUBJECTLESS NON FINITE CLAUSE

It is fairly straightforward to determine the function of a subjectless non finite clause. Sometimes a subjectless non finite clause can function as an postmodifier (sentence 2), or as an adverbial (sentence 3) and also can function as an direct object (sentence 4). From our study, we noticed that the occurrence of subjectless non finite clause not as many as the occurrence of the non finite clause with a subject. As the journal is in the academic text form, the uses of sentence with a subject occurs more frequent rather than subjectless sentence. The subjectless non finite clauses normally are in the short sentence without more elaboration. Next analysis from the sentence;

Sentence 2: The rate of warming in the last 50 years was double THE RATE OBSERVED OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS.

(Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

The postmodifier is capitalised.

Sentence 3 : Temperatures are certain TO GO UP FURTHER.

(Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

The adverbial is capitalised.

Sentence 4 : Global warmth begin WITH SUNLIGHT.

(Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

The direct object is capitalised.

The occurrence of non finite clause in this journal is more than 15 times. Other examples of the occurrence of both the finite and non finite clauses are :

1.

Over the last five years, 600 scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sifted through thousands of studies about global warming published in forums ranging from scientific journals to industry publications and distilled the worlds accumulated knowledge into this conclusion: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.

2.

For decades, cars and factories have spewed billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and these gases caused temperatures to rise between 0.6 degree C and 0.9 degree C (1.08 degree F to 1.62 degree F) over the past century.

3.

Warmer temperatures will alter weather patterns, making it likely that there will be more intense droughts and more intense rain events.

(Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek)

CONCLUSION

Based on our research, we conclude that the occurrence of finite and non finite clauses depends on the degree of formality of the text types. In other words, the greater frequency of finite clauses indicates that the text is less formal, while the greater frequency of non finite clauses is typical for more formal texts. Non finite is a dependent clause and can stand on its own whereas finite clause is an independent clause which can dangling if the structure is not correct.

REFERENCES

Story books (Garfield by Jim Davis) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GlobalWarming/ (Global Warming - 2007 by Holli Riebeek) http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/clauses/finite.htm http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/sent-nonfinite.html http://www.scribd.com/butterball/d/19447293-English-Grammar-Non-Finite-Forms-of-Verbs Lecture Notes SKBE 1023