24 Chapter 2 A rapid overview
7 Canonical and non-canonical clauses
There is a vast range of different clause structures, but we can greatly sim
plify the description if we confine our attention initially to canonical clauses, those
which are syntactically the most basic or elementary. The others, non-canonical
clauses, can then be described derivatively, in terms of how they differ from the
canonical ones.
Canonical clauses consist of a subject followed by a predicate, as illustrated in [2]
and [3]. The subject is usually (but not invariably) an NP, while the predicate is
always - in canonical clauses - a VP.
Non-canonical clauses contrast with canonical ones on one or more of the dimen
sions reviewed in § § 7.1-7.5. below.
7.1 Polarity
Polarity is the name of the system contrasting positive and negative
clauses.
[20] POSITIVE NEGATIVE (non-canonical)
a. He is very careful. b. He isn 't very carefu l.Canonical clauses are positive, while negative clauses are non-canonical. The gram
mar will have a special section describing how negation is expressed. In [b] the
negation is marked on the verb; it can also be marked by not (He is not very carefu l)
or by some other negative word (Nobodv liked it).
7.2 Clause type
Canonical clauses are declarative. Clauses belonging to any other
clause type are non-canonical. We illustrate here two of these other clause types,
interrogative and imperative.
(a) Interrogative
[21] DECLARATIVE
a. She can mend it.INTERROGATIVE (non-canonical)
b. Can she mend it?Declaratives are characteristically used to make statements, while interrogatives are
associated with questions. Syntactically, the subject she of interrogative [b] follows
the verb instead of occupying the default position before the verb (see §3 above).
(b) Imperative
[22] DECLARATIVE
a. Yo u are patient.IMPERATIVE (non-canonical)
b. Be patient.Imperatives are characteristically used to issue what we call directives, a term
covering requests, commands, instructions, etc.