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Clause
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition.〔For this basic definition in terms of a proposition, see Kroeger (2005:32).〕 A typical clause consists of a subject and a predicate,〔For a definition of the clause that emphasizes the subject-predicate relationship, see Radford (2004327f.).〕 where the predicate is typically a verb phrase – a verb together with any objects and other modifiers. However the subject is sometimes not expressed; this is often the case in null-subject languages if the subject is retrievable from context, but it also occurs in certain cases in other languages such as English (as in imperative sentences and non-finite clauses).
A simple sentence usually consists of a single finite clause with a finite verb that is independent. More complex sentences may contain multiple clauses. Main clauses (i.e. ''matrix clauses'', ''independent clauses'') are those that can stand alone as a sentence. Subordinate clauses (i.e. ''embedded clauses'', ''dependent clauses'') are those that would be awkward or incomplete alone.
==Two major distinctions==
A primary division for the discussion of clauses is the distinction between main clauses (i.e. ''matrix clauses'', ''independent clauses'') and subordinate clauses (i.e. ''embedded clauses'', ''dependent clauses'').〔Most basic discussions of the clause emphasize the distinction between main and subordinate clauses. See for instance Crystal (1997:62).〕 A main clause can stand alone, i.e. it can constitute a complete sentence by itself. A subordinate clause (i.e. ''embedded clause''), in contrast, is reliant on the appearance of a main clause; it depends on the main clause and is therefore a dependent clause, whereas the main clause is an independent clause.
A second major distinction concerns the difference between finite and non-finite clauses. A finite clause contains a structurally central finite verb, whereas the structurally central word of a non-finite clause is often a non-finite verb. Traditional grammar focuses on finite clauses, the awareness of non-finite clauses having arisen much later in connection with the modern study of syntax. The discussion here also focuses on finite clauses, although some aspects of non-finite clauses are considered further below.
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
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