Conjunction
Conjunctions are a part of speech in English grammar that connect words, phrases, or clauses. They help to create more complex sentences and express various types of connections between different parts of a sentence. There are three main types of conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, and correlative.
Coordinating conjunctions: These are used to join two or more elements of equal grammatical rank, such as words with words, phrases with phrases, or independent clauses with independent clauses. The most common coordinating conjunctions are "and," "but," "or," "nor," "for," "so," and "yet."
For example:
| Acholi | English |
| A maro cai ki pun | I like tea and coffee. (connecting words) |
| en tye ki ngec ndoki kite ber | She's very talented but quite modest. (connecting independent clauses) |
Subordinating conjunctions: These are used to connect a dependent clause (also known as a subordinate clause) to an independent clause, helping to emphasise the idea of the main clause. Examples include "although," "because," "if," "unless," "when," "while," "since," etc.
For example:
| Acholi | English |
| A bi cito i lul ka kot peke | I'll go to the park if it doesn't rain. |
| pyen en oder, i ki gwele con | Because she was tired, she went to bed early. |
Correlative conjunctions: These conjunctions are used in pairs to join alternatives or equal elements. The most common pairs are "either/or," "neither/nor," "both/and," "not only/but also," "whether/or."
For example:
| Acholi | English |
| Omero i cako teyo tic ni onyo obwoti ot pyon. | Either you start doing your work or you will have to leave the class. |
| en pe tye la rungula ka ken ento en bene la tic tec. | She is not only intelligent but also hardworking. |