The compound sentence

In this section the complex sentence is discussed. When two clauses are combined to form a single sentence. These clauses are combined by either subordination or coordination. Subordination appears in a complex sentence where one of the clauses forms an essential part of the structure of the other clause (Louwrens, 1991: 43). A main clause and a subordinate clause are included in a complex sentence. Coordination appears in a compound sentence where two or more than two clauses are included. These clauses are of equal ranking as they have an equal syntactic status (Louwrens, 1994: 29; Watters, 2000: 217). A first member and one or more than one succeeding member are included in a compound sentence. These members must appear in the same mood. For example, the first member and succeeding member must both appear in the indicative mood.

In (1) the first member is Ke a ba itse ‘I know them’ and the second member mme ga ke ba rate ‘but I do not like them’ consists of the introductory conjunction mme ‘but’ and its complement ga ke ba rate ‘I do not like them’. The verb in the first member and the verb in the succeeding member in this example both denote the indicative mood.

A brief overview is presented of the types of coordination in compound sentences denoting the indicative mood (Krüger, 2006: 161-167). The use of the consecutive, habitual and imperative moods in the structuring of the consecutive mood are also alluded to.

Associative association

With associative (additive) coordination two sentences in the indicative mood are linked with the conjunctions mme ‘and’ (Example 2), ebilê ‘and also’ (Example 3) or le gônê ‘also, furthermore, moreover’ (Example 4). These conjunctions introduce associative and additive coordinated clauses (cf. Cole, 1955: 386-387; Krüger, 2006: 163, 167).

Contrastive association

A compound sentence can be formed with contrastive coordination where two sentences in the indicative mood are linked with the conjunction mme ‘but’ (5). This conjunction introduces a contrastive and additive coordinative clause (cf. Cole, 1955: 386-387; Krüger, 2006: 163).

Alternating association

Sentences in the indicative mood can be linked with the conjunctions kgotsa, ampô (variants are kampô or kgampô), kana (or ana) and kapa (or apa) and in this instance compound sentences are formed with alternating. These conjunctions signify ‘perhaps’, ‘maybe’ and ‘or’ (Cole, 1955: 389). Alternatives that can be used are the conjunctions gongwe and motlhamongwê signifying ‘perhaps’, ‘maybe’ or ‘possibly’ (Cole, 1955: 384, 387). The mentioned conjunctions introduce an alternating coordinative clause in (6).

The consecutive mood indicates that an action follows another action in time. It occurs in temporal succession to a previous action and thus conveys a subsequent action. Although the action in the consecutive mood is chronologically dependent on previous actions, it does not imply syntactic dependence. A simple or a compound sentence may appear in the consecutive mood. (See simple sentence in the consecutive mood.)

A compound sentence may be structured with a first member and one or more than one succeeding member that denotes the consecutive mood (7). These clauses are co-ordinately combined and do not form (temporal) subordinate groups as is the case with the subjunctive, participial and infinitive moods. (See complex sentence subordinate clauses.)

Coordination in sentences denoting the habitual mood

The habitual mood expresses sequential actions, or it indicates that processes take place or took place as customs or habits of the present or the past respectively (Krüger, 2013: 119). A simple or a compound sentence may appear in the habitual mood. (See simple sentence habitual mood.)

A compound sentence may be structured with a first member and one or more than one succeeding member that denotes the habitual mood (8). These clauses are also co-ordinately combined and do not form subordinate groups as is the case with the subjunctive, participial and infinitive moods.

The imperative mood expresses a command, an order or a warning to the second person, singular or plural. A simple or a compound sentence may appear in the imperative mood.

A compound sentence may also be structured with a first member and one or more than one succeeding member that all denote the imperative mood (9). These clauses are also co-ordinately combined (Krüger, 2013: 114). They do not form subordinate groups as is the case with the subjunctive, participial and infinitive moods.

The compound sentence consists of a clause that functions as the first member in the sentence. This syntactic structure of this first member is the same as the syntactic structure of a simple and complex sentences. The first member is followed by a clause that functions as the succeeding member in the compound sentence and the following is applicable:

• The succeeding member can take a conjunction as head which functions as the introductory member of the rest of the clause. The rest of the clause functions as the complement of the introductory member and it has the same syntactic structure as that of the simple and complex sentences.
• The succeeding member can appear in the consecutive, habitual or imperative moods and then does not always include any conjunction.

Cole, D. T. (1955) An introduction to Tswana grammar. Cape Town: Longman.

Krüger, C. J. H. (2006) Introduction to the morphology of Setswana. München: Lincom.

Krüger, C. J. H. (2013) Setswana syntax: a survey of word group structures. Vol 2. München: Lincom.

Louwrens, L. J. (1991) Aspects of Northern Sotho grammar. Pretoria: Via Afrika.

Louwrens. L. J. (1994) Dictionary of Northern Sotho grammatical terms. Pretoria: Via Afrika.

Watters, J. (2000) ‘Syntax’. In Heine, B. & Nurse, D. (eds.). African languages: an introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University. pp.194-230.