Rethinking the coordinate-subordinate dichotomy

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This study argues that the domain of 'coordination' and 'subordination' in English can be divided into four distinct construction types, based on differences in their 'interpersonal' structure, which encompasses the grammatical encoding of speaker attitude and interaction. These four types form coherent categories that exhibit unique syntactic behaviors, pragmatic functions, and semantic classes of clause linkage. The analysis is validated in three ways. First, it clarifies the diverse and often conflicting criteria found in literature on complex sentences, attributing them to four construction types instead of viewing them as variations of a single contrast between coordination and subordination. Second, it addresses specific challenges in clause combining, including the syntactic basis for distinguishing 'content', 'epistemic', and 'speech act' levels of clause linkage, as well as the different discursive functions of adverbial clauses based on their position. Lastly, the analysis proves useful beyond English, revealing parallels in cross-linguistic phenomena of clause linkage. This work is primarily aimed at linguistics researchers in syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, as well as graduate students focusing on these disciplines.