Higher Lessons in English: A work on English grammar and composition · Chapter 86The Complex Sentence-Noun Clause
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+Introductory Hints.+—In Lessons 40 and 41 you learned that an infinitive phrase may perform many of the offices of a noun. You are now to learn that a clause may do the same.
Obedience is better than sacrifice = To obey is better than sacrifice = That men should obey is better than sacrifice. The dependent clause that men should obey is equivalent to a noun, and is the +Subject+ of is.
Many people believe that the beech tree is never struck by lightning. The dependent clause, introduced by that, is equivalent to a noun, and is the +Object Complement+ of believe.
The fact that mold, mildew, and yeast are plants is wonderful. The clause introduced by that is equivalent to a noun, and is +Explanatory+ of fact.
A peculiarity of English is, that it has so many borrowed words. The clause introduced by that is equivalent to a noun, and is an +Attribute Complement+ relating to peculiarity.
Your future depends very much on who your companions are. The clause who your companions are is equivalent to a noun, and is the +Principal Term+ of a +Phrase+ introduced by the preposition on.
A clause that does the work of a noun is a +Noun Clause+.
Analysis.
The +noun clause+ may be used as +subject+.
1. That the earth is round has been proved.
That ———— ' earth | is ' \ round ———-|——————— \the | | | / \ | has been proved =============|================= |
+Explanation+.—The clause that the earth is round is used like a noun as the subject of has been proved. The conjunction that [Footnote: "That was originally the neuter demonstrative pronoun, used to point to the fact stated in an independent sentence; as, It was good; he saw that. By an inversion of the order this became, He saw that (namely) it was good, and so passed into the form He saw that it was good, where that has been transferred to the accessory clause, and has become a mere sign of grammatical subordination."—C. P. Mason.] introduces the noun clause.
This is a peculiar kind of complex sentence. Strictly speaking, there is here no principal clause, for the whole sentence cannot be called a clause, i.e., a part of a sentence. We may say that it is a complex sentence in which the whole sentence takes the place of a principal clause.
2. That the same word is used for the soul of man and for a glass of gin is singular. 3. "What have I done?" is asked by the knave and the thief. 4. Who was the discoverer of America is not yet fully determined by historians.
+Explanation+.—The subject clause is here an indirect question. See Lesson 74.
5. When letters were first used is not certainly known. 6. "Where is Abel, thy brother?" smote the ears of the guilty Cain. 7. When to quit business and enjoy their wealth is a problem never solved by some.
+Explanation+.—When to quit business and enjoy their wealth is an indirect question. When to quit business = When they are to quit business, or When they ought to quit business. Such constructions may be expanded into clauses, or they may be treated as phrases equivalent to clauses.
The +noun clause+ may be used as +object complement+.
8. Galileo taught that the earth moves.
that ———- ' earth | ' moves ———|———- \the | | Galileo | taught | / \ =========|============== |
+Explanation+.—Here the clause introduced by that is used like a noun as the object complement of taught.
9. The Esquimau feels intuitively that bear's grease and blubber are the dishes for his table. 10. The world will not anxiously inquire who you are. 11. It will ask of you, "What can you do?" 12. The peacock struts about, saying, "What a fine tail I have!" 13. He does not know which to choose.
(See explanation of (7), above.)
14. No one can tell how or when or where he will die. 15. Philosophers are still debating whether the will has any control over the current of thought in our dreams.
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