An interactive glossary of linguistics concepts for SFU Indigenous language learners and revitalists
Sentence
Definition
A sentence is defined as a clause, or clause sequence that may occur independently with sentence intonation. The simplest of sentences will consist of a single independent clause, while more complex sentences consist of an independent clause and one or many additional dependent clauses.Sentences may also be joined by a coordinating particle to form a compound sentence. (Gibson, 1973, pp. 76-77)
In addition, knowing the meaning of a given sentence allows for the determination of when it would be true i.e., its truth conditions. (Kroeger, 2018, p. 36)
Examples
Example in the Secwepemctsín Context of a Simple Sentence (Gibson, 1973, p. 77)
Example in the Secwepemctsín Context of a Complex Sentence (Gibson, 1973, p. 77)
Example in the Skwxwu7mesh Context of a Complex Sentence (Jacobs, 2013, p. 8)
Example in the Halkomelem Context of a Simple Sentence (Suttles, 2004, p. 40)
Example in the Halkomelem Context of a Complex Sentence (Suttles, 2004, p. 95)