We’ve already taken up the role of inverted sentences as transitional devices, and earlier, we saw how inverted sentences depart from the normal sentence-verb-complement pattern (S-V/C) to put the verb or its complement wherever it can do its work best. Now we’ll focus on the even more practical uses and benefits of transposing sentence elements from their normal S-V/C order.
Before that, however, let’s first take up a basic principle in sentence construction: moving any element of the S-V/C sequence from its normal position gets stronger attention for that element. The element put out front gets more attention, followed by the one placed at the tail end; the one placed at the middle gets the least attention or is “backgrounded.”
This is actually why adverbial phrases work so well in starting off sentences, as in this example: “
Hardly appreciated is the contribution of this masterful painter to Philippine art.” See how the tension in the sentence slackens when that adverbial phrase is relegated to its normal tailend position: “The contribution of this masterful painter to Philippine art
is hardly appreciated.”
Now, take a look at this sentence frontlined by a detached adverb phrase: “
Now more articulate than ever, the Greek orator Demosthenes challenged every Athenian firebrand to a debate at the agora.” Simply by virtue of having the adverb phrase out front, that sentence packs a wallop.
Normally though, that adverb phrase in the normal S-V/C pattern would be positioned like this: “The Greek orator Demosthenes
was now more articulate than ever, so he challenged every Athenian firebrand to a debate at the agora.” Here, the adverb phrase has been “backgrounded” to mid-sentence, where it can’t do an emphasizing job.
Frontlining adverbial complements is actually the same process as coming up with a “feature element” in a sentence; the adverb phrase “featurizes” otherwise normal S-V/C sentences to make them more interesting to read.
In addition to frontlining adverbial complements, there are four more pragmatic inversion schemes for featurizing sentences. To fully appreciate their semantic value, however, it’s best to imagine the examples of inverted sentences to be given below as being preceded by normal S-V/C sentences. We can then feel more strongly how well the inversion works. The semantic alchemy that inversion performs is, of course, not easy to explain, but there’s absolutely no doubt about its power to perk up prose.
1. Prepositional phrase as frontline complement: “
Beside the martyr’s grave the widow knelt and wept.” This inverted C-S-V sentence powerfully conveys emotion, while its S-V/C construction pales in comparison: “The widow knelt and wept
beside the martyr’s grave.”
2. Time of occurrence as frontline complement: “
At exactly 8:15 a.m. he fell from the volley of the dictator’s firing squad.” This inverted sentence has an ever so subtle emotional tug, while its S-V/C construction hardly has any: “He fell from the volley of the dictator’s firing squad
at exactly 8:15 a.m.”
3. Locational phrase as frontline complement: “
Fifteen blocks later she realized she was hopelessly lost.” This inverted sentence conveys heightened feeling, while its S-V/C form is deadpan: “She realized she was hopelessly lost
fifteen blocks later.”
4. Infinitive phrase as frontline complement: “
To those who know her Carol is the epitome of success.” The sense of immediacy of this inverted sentence (no comma before “Carol”) is much stronger than that of its S-V/C pattern: “Carol is the epitome of success
to those who know her.”
IMAGE CREDIT: SLIDEPLAYER.COMSTILL OTHER PATTERNS OF FRONTING IN INVERTED SENTENCES
We know that the English language reserves its much deeper sentence inversions to express highly emotional states, such as pleasure, passion, frustration, disgust, and anger as well as fierce advocacy and deeply held belief. (At the very top of the inversion spectrum is poetry, but we’ve got no time to take it up here.)
(Next:
How the noun clause, adjective clause, and adverb clause differ) September 13, 2018
This essay, 1108th of the series, appeared in the column “English Plain and Simple” by Jose A. Carillo in the Campus Press section of the September 6, 2018 issue (print edition only) of The Manila Times
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