Comparative clause
A comparative clause ( comparative clause , previously also: comparative clause ) is a subordinate clause / clause that expresses a comparison to a state of affairs that is named in the main clause . In Flämig's formulation: " Comparative clauses (comparative clauses) reflect a fact (b) that serves as a basis for comparison with a fact (a) in the parent sentence."
example
In the sentence: "He treated me exactly as he does with everyone else", the subordinate clause introduced with like is the comparative clause , which makes the comparison with what is stated in the main clause.
Types of Comparative Clauses
Comparative clauses can contain real or unreal comparisons. Correspondingly, one can differentiate between real and unreal comparative sentences.
- Real comparative sentence: “He treated me exactly as he does with everyone else.” Here the subordinate clause expresses something that corresponds to the facts.
- unreal (hypothetical) comparative sentence: "He treated me as if he didn't know me at all." Here the subordinate clause expresses something that does not correspond to the facts. That is why the subjunctive II is used.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Walter Flämig: Grammar of German. Introduction to structure and effect relationships. Akademie Verlag, Berlin 1991, p. 298. ISBN 3-05-000686-2
- ^ Gerhard Helbig, Joachim Buscha: German grammar. A handbook for the foreigners' course. VEB Verlag Enzyklopädie, Leipzig 1984, pp. 686f.
Web links
Wiktionary: Comparative clause - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations
Wiktionary: comparative clause - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations