NOUN CLAUSES Theoretical Description

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a. NOUN CLAUSES

1 Definition of noun clause Noun clauses are dependent clauses replacing a noun or noun phrase Jackson, 1982; Farbman, 1985; Ackley, et al., 1986; Wishon Burks, 1987; Dumais, 1988; Azar, 1989 Eastwood; 2002. The same as a noun, used as a subject or an object, a noun clause is used as a subject or an object Azar, 1989. Therefore, basically, noun clause functions as a noun substitute in a sentence. As noun clauses can be used in the same way in which a noun is used, Wishon Burks 1987 state that noun clauses occur anywhere in the sentence in which a noun or a noun phrase can occur. 2 Some types of noun clauses a Noun clauses which begin with that That clauses According to Jackson 1982, Azar 1989 and Eastwood 2002, a noun clause can be introduced by that. The examples can be observed as follows. Table 2.2: Noun clauses which begin with that i. I think that he is a good actor. ii. I think he is a good actor. iii. We know that the world is round That marks the beginning of the clause. It can also be omitted as in ii. iv. That she doesn’t understand spoken English is obvious. v. It is obvious that she doesn’t understand spoken English. vi. That the world is round is the fact. vii. It is the fact that the world is round. When that clause functions as the subject of the sentence, as in iv and vi, the word that is not omitted. The word it can function as the subject and the noun clause is placed at the end of the sentence as in v and vii. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 14 Quirk Greenbaum 1985 explain that the zero that clause is particularly common when the clause is brief and uncomplicated as in sentence ii in the table above. The need for clarity, however, “discourages or even forbids the omission of that in complex sentences” Quirk Greenbaum, 1985: 317. In other words, the use of that to introduce complicated dependent clause is necessary. E.g.: We hoped, in a moment of optimism, that the Government would look favourably on our case. b Noun clauses which begin with question words WH clauses Noun clause can be introduced by question words Curme, 1966; Frank, 1972; Farbman, 1985; Swan, 1988; Azar, 1989; Eastwood, 2002. As the position of a noun clause may vary, the forms of subordinating conjunctions are also various depending on the position in the clause introduced. Here are some of the examples.

i. We know who wrote the letter. Subject Who