Gramtica Inglesa II

Grado en Estudios Ingleses

Concessive clauses (adverbial subordinate clauses of concession)

Concessive clauses are introduced chiefly by although or its more informal variant though. Other
subordinators include even though, while, even if, whereas <formal> and if <formal;
verbless>.
Although he had just joined, he was treated exactly like all the others.
No goals were scored, though it was an exciting game.
While I don't want to make a fuss, I feel I must protest at your interference.
Whereas the amendment is enthusiastically supported by a large majority in the
Senate, its fate is doubtful in the House.

NONFINITENESS: Except for whereas, these subordinators may introduce ing and ed clauses.
VERBLESSNESS: Except for whereas, even if and even though these subordinators may introduce
verbless clauses.
FishingWorld.com - News Center
While well over two dozen blue marlin were caught during the week, cracking the
stringent 400-pound minimum weight proved to be difficult. ...
www.fishingworld.com/News/Read.php?ArtID=000012741
Mad Money Review at Hollywood.com
- [ Traduzca esta pgina ]
While being a serviceable, somewhat female-empowering bank-heist comedy, Mad
Money doesnt do much else to distinguish itself. ...
www.hollywood.com/review/Mad_Money/5046310
The Madison Scouts News - February Camp Report
While near completion, the corps is still looking to fill one tenor spot and one position in
the front ensemble. We will continue to audition brass players ...
news.madisonscouts.org/?p=76

Concessive clauses indicate that the situation in the matrix clause is contrary to what one
might expect in view of the situation in the concessive clause. It is often possible to view
each situation as unexpected in the light of the other and therefore to choose which should
be made subordinate:
No goals were scored, although it was an exciting game.
It was an exciting game, although no goals were scored.

NOTE [a] In a rather formal style, the predication in the concessive clause may be fronted if the
subordinator is though and must be if it is as:
Fail though I did, I would not abandon my goal.
Naked as I was, I braved the storm. [Even though I was naked, ...]

[b] Even if combines the concessive force of even with the conditional force of if:
Even if you dislike ancient monuments, Warwick Castle is worth a visit.
The even if clause leaves open whether or not you dislike ancient monuments is true,
whereas an even though clause would presuppose that it was true.
[c] If itself may be used concessively, synonymous either with even if or with even though:
Her salary was good, if not up to her expectations. [..., even though it was not up to
her expectations.]
Alternative conditional-concessive adverbial subordinate clauses
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 Gramtica Inglesa II
Grado en Estudios Ingleses

The correlative sequence whether . . . or (whether) (finite, non-finite or verbless) combines the
conditional meaning of if with the disjunctive meaning of either . . . or. The syntactic analysis
yields a compound (optional) Adverbial through main-clause or lower-level coordination. If the
second unit is a full finite clause, whether may be repeated:
Whether Martin pays for the broken vase or (whether) he replaces it with a new vase,
I'm not inviting him again.
Hes getting married, whether or not he finds a job.
Whether trained or not, Marilyn is doing an excellent job.
Whether right or wrong, your son needs all the support you can give him.
The concessive meaning comes from the implication that it is unexpected for the same
situation to apply under two contrasting conditions.

NOTE It doesn't matter whether and the more informal No matter whether can also introduce
these adverbial clauses, acting as multi-word conjunctions:
Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog: "No matter whether you win or lose ...
"No matter whether you win or lose, you die a little with every case". Indeed: Although 70
sub S V

A S V A A
percent of malpractice cases are either dropped or dismissed by ...
www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/06/no-matter-whether-you-win-or-lose-you.html
The correlative sequence with . . . without is used concessively with verbless clauses:

With a bank loan or without it, we'll buy the house.

With or without a bank loan, we'll buy the house.
There may be further reductions:
Bank loan or no bank loan, we'll buy the house.
Bank loan or no, we'll buy the house.

Universal conditional-concessive adverbial subordinate clauses

The universal conditional-concessive clause (finite or verbless) indicates a free choice from any
number of conditions. It is introduced by the wh-words that combine with -ever:
Whatever I say to them, I can't keep them quiet.
[1] Stand perfectly still, wherever you are.
However much advice you give him, he does exactly what he wants.
Don't let them in, whoever they are.
The concessive implication in [1] comes through the inference that I can't keep them quiet
even if I choose to say something to them from any possible choices.

NOTE The verb be can be omitted from a universal clause if the subject of an SVC (=SVP) clause is
an abstract noun phrase:
Whatever your problems (are/may be), they can't be worse than mine.
However great the pitfalls (are/may be), we must do our best-to-succeed.

Contrastive clauses (adverbial subordinate clauses of contrast)

Clauses of contrast (always finite) are introduced by several of the subordinators that introduce
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 Gramtica Inglesa II
Grado en Estudios Ingleses

concessive clauses: whereas, while, and <esp BrE> whilst. There is often a mixture of contrast and
concession; therefore, the contrastive meaning is often emphasized by correlative antithetic con-
juncts (i.e. linking adverbials) such as in contrast and by contrast when the contrastive clause is not
sentence-initial:
Mr Larson teaches physics, while Mr Corby teaches chemistry.
I ignore them, whereas (by contrast) my husband is always worried about what they
think of us.