Chapter 3.Grammar and Culture（2）
2. Branching and linear sentence patterns
English sentences in adult speech or writing are like trees with a trunk, one or more branches and twists. In contrast, many Chinese sentences are like a flowing river without tributaries(从属) or a piece of bamboo without branches. And English allows for branching sentence patterns, the adverbial clauses in complex sentences are in many cases found at the sentence final position as branches. This is true for the adverbial clause of time, cause, condition, etc. in contrast, the adverbial clauses in Chinese are normally found at the sentence initial position. The subordinate clause precedes the main clause just as the modifier goes before the modified. This order is more “natural” to Chinese speakers. Liner sentences pattern in Chinese and the branching sentence pattern in English presented previously. Analytic thinking interacts with English, thus the branching sentence pattern dominates in English. Holistic thinking interacts with Chinese, thus the linear sentence pattern can be observed in most sentences in Chinese.
In another cultural interpretation the linguistic contrast between the branching sentence pattern in English and the linear sentence pattern in Chinese is simply treated as a contrast of word order between the two languages.
The Chinese people prefer the order in which the modifier appears before the head because they are indirect.
3. Word order
although English and Chinese are both SVO (Subjects precede verbs which in turn precede objects.)languages, there are differences in word order between the two languages.
4. Answers to negative questions
5. Imitating natural sounds and grammar
Topics for consideration