"So" and "For" as Conjunctions
Remember that some grammarians consider "so" and "for," when they function as conjunctions, to always be coordinating. KISS will accept this explanation, but it will mess up statistical studies. 1. I must look in {at Tellson's}; | so I will go there {at once} and come back presently. | KISS considers the semicolon here a signal of a main-clause break. That he will go there is the result of "must look."2. The village looks {at him} {by stealth}, [Adv. (cause) to "by stealth" for it is afraid (PA) ]. | A comma is not a signal for a main clause break, so the "for" clause is subordinate. It indicates why the village looks at him by stealth.3. I feel [Adv. (manner) to "feel" that Miss Manette will tell well {in any station}, and will always do me (IO) credit (DO). | So I have made up my mind (DO) to marry her [#1]. | ["To marry her" was added because the context clearly indicates that that is what was meant.] The "So" signals the result of the ideas in the preceding sentences.4. Sounds [Adj. to "Sounds" that he was not afraid (PA) of [#2], [Adv. (cause) to "not" for he divined their meaning (DO) ]], then began to be audible (PA). | Note that if we were to consider the "for" a coordinating conjunction, we would have one main clause set inside another. The "for" clause indicates why he was not afraid.5. They hanged {at Tyburn}, {in those days}, [Adv. (result) to "at Tyburn" so the street {outside Newgate} had not obtained one infamous notoriety (DO) [Adj. to "notoriety" that has since attached {to it} ]]. | The "so" clause indicates the result of their not, in those days, hanging people in Newgate.6. {On this occasion}, Miss Pross, responding [#3] {to Ladybird's pleasant face and pleasant efforts} to please her [#4], unbent exceedingly; | so the dinner was very pleasant (PA), too. | In KISS, the semicolon here would indicate a main-clause break, but the "so" indicates that the dinner being pleasant was the result of Miss Pross being "unbent exceedingly.7. {At first}, there were times (PN), [Adv. (concession) to "were" though she was a perfectly happy young wife (PN)], [Adj. to "times" when her work would slowly fall {from her hands}], and [Adj. to "times" *when* her eyes would be dimmed (P)]. | For, there was something coming [#5] {in the echoes}, something [#6] light, afar off, and scarcely audible [#6] yet, [Adj. to "something" that stirred her heart (DO) too much]. | Although it introduces a main clause, the "For" clause explains the cause of her work falling from her hands and of her eyes being dimmed.8. He was not missed (P) ; | for, nobody [Adj. to "nobody" who crossed the threshold (DO)] looked {for him}, | nobody asked {for him}, | nobody wondered to see only Madame Defarge [#7] {in her seat}, presiding [#8] {over the distribution} {of wine}, {with a bowl} {of battered small coins} {before her}, as much defaced [#9] and beaten [#9] {out of their original impress} {as the small coinage} {of humanity} [Adj. to "humanity" {from whose ragged pockets} they had come]. | Here again the semicolon (in KISS) is taken as a signal of a main-clause break. Note the difference in this causal relationship. The "For" clauses do not explain the causes for his being missed; they explain the evidence for the writer's claiming that he was not missed. Notes 2. This "of" is a preposition, the object of which is the "that." (The "that" thus functions simultaneously as subordinating conjunction and object of the preposition.) The prepositional phrase functions as an adverb to "afraid." 3. "Responding" is a gerundive (verbal adjective) that modifies "Miss Pross." 4. "Her" is the direct object of the infinitive (verbal) "to please." The infinitive phrase functions as an adjective to "efforts." 5. One way to explain "something coming" is to view "something" as a predicate noun and "coming" as a gerundive (verbal) that modifies "something." At KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes, some people may prefer to explain "something coming" as a noun absolute that functions here as the predicate noun. 6. The second "something" is an appositive to the first. See KISS Level 5.4 - Appositives. "Light," "afar off," and "audible" are post-positioned adjectives to the second "something." See KISS Level 5.5 - Post-Positioned Adjectives. 7. "Madame Defarge" is the direct object of the infinitive "to see." The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb (of manner) to "wondered." The phrase "in her seat" can be explained as adverbial to "to see." It could also be explained as an adjective to "Madame Defarge." Verbals often reduce clauses. The clause version of this would be "to see that Madame Defarge was in her seat." 8. "Presiding" is a gerundive (verbal) that modifies "Madame Defarge." 9. "Defaced" and "beaten" are gerundives that modify "coins." |