subordination (n.)

A term used in GRAMMATICAL analysis to refer to the process or result of linking LINGUISTIC UNITS so that they have different SYNTACTIC status, one being dependent upon the other, and usually a constituent of the other; subordinate is sometimes contrasted with SUPERORDINATE. (In this respect, it is usually distinguished from CO-ORDINATE linkage, where the units are equivalent.) Subordinate clauses are illustrated in the SENTENCE John left when the bus arrived: the marker of linkage is when, a subordinating conjunction (or subordinator). A wide range of subordinates exists in English, e.g. although, since, because, while, after. Some grammarians analyze certain subordinators (e.g. before, since, until) as PREPOSITIONS with sentential COMPLEMENTS. In ENDOCENTRIC PHRASES, the term ‘subordinate’ is also used to refer to the words which modify the HEAD; e.g. in all the very big cars, all the very big is subordinate to cars, and very is subordinate to big.