On functional elements of clause structure

Abstract

There is a surprising discrepancy in the range and scope of functional elements of clause structure. The article first outlines the variant presentations of the various classes of nominal, verbal, adjectival and adverbial elements together with their associated rationale. It then proposes a framework based on functional criteria, in which significant changes are made to the nature of the object and the complement. In addition, as with the analysis of all elements, the circumstantial adverbial is handled in terms of its positive contribution to structure. The structural form of an element or questions relating to its omissibility are thus not involved.