380. The copulative verb is not a pure connective, for it serves another purpose in the sentence. For example, in the sentence, The book is interesting, the copulative verb is connects the adjective interesting with the noun book, which it modifies; but it also is the asserting word in the sentence. So it fulfils a double function. It is an asserting word and also a connective word.
381. The relative pronoun also is not a pure connective, for it serves two purposes in the sentence. It not only connects the clause which it introduces, with the word which it modifies, but it also serves as either the subject or object in the clause. For example: The man who was here has gone. The clause, who was here, is introduced by the relative pronoun who, which connects that clause with the noun man, which the clause modifies. Who also serves as the subject of the verb was.
In the sentence, The men whom we seek have gone, the clause, whom we seek, is introduced by the relative pronoun whom, which connects the clause with the word men, which it modifies. Whom also serves as the object of the verb in the clause, the verb seek.
382. A preposition is not a pure connective, since it serves a double function. It shows the relation of its object to the rest of the sentence and also governs the form of its object. As, for example, in the sentence: The man before me is not the culprit, the preposition before connects its object me with the noun man, which the prepositional phrase modifies, showing the relation between them; and it governs the form of its object, for the pronoun following a preposition must be used in the object form.
383. Even co-ordinate conjunctions can scarcely be considered pure connectives unless it be the co-ordinate conjunction and. Co-ordinate conjunctions such as but, yet, still, however, etc., not only connect words, phrases and clauses of equal rank, but in addition to connecting the words and expressions they also indicate that they are opposite in thought.
384. Co-ordinate conjunctions like therefore, hence, then, etc., connect words, phrases and clauses of equal rank, and also introduce a reason or cause. Co-ordinate conjunctions like or, either, nor, neither, whether, etc., connect words, phrases and clauses of equal rank, and also express the choice of an alternative. Thus these co-ordinate conjunctions can scarcely be considered as pure connectives.
385. Subordinate conjunctions are most frequently used to introduce adverb clauses and have an adverbial meaning. They express, as do adverbs, place, time, manner, cause, reason, purpose, condition or result. Some authorities indicate this double function by calling such words as these conjunctive adverbs, because, even when they are used as conjunctions, they retain some of their adverbial force.
But according to our rule that every word in the sentence is classified according to the function which it performs in that sentence, all words that perform the function of a conjunction are called conjunctions, although we understand that these conjunctions which introduce dependent clauses do still retain some of their adverbial meaning.
Exercise 3
In the following sentences the connectives are in italics. Determine whether they are copulative verbs, relative pronouns, prepositions, co-ordinate conjunctions or subordinate conjunctions.