CONJUNCTIONS', one of the "parts of speech," or classes, into which gramma rians divide words. C. serve the purpose of connecting sentences, parts of sentences, and single words; as "Day ends, and night begins. William and John learn. Latin. Charles and James carried the basket between them." In the first sentence, and con nects two separate affirmations into one compound sentence. The same is true in the second—the separate affirmations being "William learns Latin," and "John learns Latin." In the third sentence, and connects only the two words, " Charles" and "James," as it cannot be affirmed of either of them alone that he "carried the basket." In most cases, however, it can be shown that, logically at least, two affirmations are involved, and that the conjunction really connects the affirmations. It is not easy to distinguish C. from adverbs. In fact, C. were all originally other parts of speech; and the greater part of them are still really adverbs, and owe their conjunctive effect to their significa tion as adverbs. In and and but, whatever may have been the original meaning, we now attend only to the conjunctive effect; or is a shortened form of the pronominal adjective other; and nor is or with the negative prefixed. In such a sentence as "I believe that you are wrong," that is the demonstrative pronoun, equivalent to—I believe this, viz., "you are wrong." This is clearly seen iu the corresponding words in other languages: Ger. days, Fr. gue, Lat. quod (for the relatives were originally demonstrative pronouns). All the rest might be called adverbial C. or conjunctive adverbs. Ex., "He is industrious; therefore he is happy"—that is, "he is happy for that." This adverb, or adverbial phrase, expressive of the cause of the happiness, by referring us back for its meaning to the former assertion, has the effect of connecting the two asser tions in the mind. Again, "The messenger arrived while he was speaking." Here while is equivalent to at the time at which (he was speaking). As an adverbial phrase, this simply indicates the time of the act of "arriving;" but as it also expresses that the speak ing was going on at the same time, it thus conjoins the two assertions.
The most important distinction among C. will be seen in the following pair of sen tences: The sun went down, and the moon rose. The moon rose, as the sun went down.
The first (compound) sentence contains two simple sentences or assertions, linked together, yet each standing on an independent footing; the two are joined on terms of equality, and arc therefore said to be co-ordinate, and the conjunction is called a co-or dinating conjunction. In the second sentence, the last clause, though a grammatical sentence, contains no logical proposition, no assertion made for its own sake, but merely states a fact as a modifying circumstance with regard to the assertion contained in the first clause. The sentence of the second clause is therefore subordinate to that of the first, and the conjunction that marks the relation, a subordinating conjunction. The chief co-ordinating C. are: 1. And, also, likewise, not only—but, partly—partly, first—Olen, further. All these are used to tack on sentences whose sense accords with, or adds to, the effect of what goes before. Hence they might be called cumnlatire conjunctions. The following (2) mark various degrees of opposition in the sense or effect of the sentences, and might be called adversative conjunctions. These terms seem preferable to conjunctive and di4unctive, generally used.
1(a.) Not—but, else, otherwise (exclusive).
2. (b.) Either—or, neither—nor (alternative).
(c.) But, only, yet, still, at the same time, nevertheless.
3. Therefore, wherefore, for, thus, consequently, hence, accordingly, so, so that. (Cause and effect.) All other C. may be classed as subordinating, such being their usual function. Those in most common use arc: Although, as, as well as, so—as, as—as, because, if, lest, since, than, that, in order that, though, unless, whether, when, before, after, while.