What is a connective?

Definition

Here are two senses of connective:

A connective, in its most common usage, is an expression having a function similar to that of a conjunction.
A connective, broadly defined, is any linguistic unit that links two other constituents together.

Examples:
Conjunctions

Copulas

Conjunctive adverbs

Examples (English)

and
or
but
whereas
in case
thus
the result is
so much that

Source:

Rudolph 1988 110–111

Sources
	Crystal 1985 66
	Rudolph 1988 97–98, 110–111

Context for this page:

Concept module: connective
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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