On the Theory of Secondary Members of Sentence

Abstract

This article explores understudied issues in Kazakh language grammar related to secondary members of a sentence. Traditional grammatical theory has not yet treated the interconnections between these members—specifically, how they specify, complement, and modify one another—as a distinct object of focused study. Although this aspect, which requires attention in the grammatical parsing of sentences, was recognized as far back as a century ago, it has not yet been widely presented as a significant topic in textbooks or methodological manuals. The authors aim to analyze the grammatical relationships of secondary sentence members both theoretically and practically, using concrete examples for illustration. This defines the scientific relevance of the research. To determine the grammatical interrelations of secondary sentence members within a sentence’s syntactic structure, it is first necessary to differentiate word combinations within the sentence. This approach supports the assertion that each component of a word combination can function as an independent sentence member. In earlier grammatical analyses, one or two word combinations were often treated as a single sen tence member, which frequently led to confusion. To address this issue, the authors reviewed and systema tized key works by Kazakh scholars on the syntax of word combinations and sentences, and conducted
grammatical analyses based on examples from Kazakh texts. Using methods such as review, generalization, comparison of form and meaning, and structural analysis, the study identified the grammatical features of compound words within word combinations, demonstrated that some compound words resemble word combinations in form and established methods for distinguishing them. It also showed that the grammatical connection between components of a word combination is directly related to the grammatical meaning of sentence members, and concluded that analyzing an entire word combination as a single sentence member is in correct. The grammatical potential of secondary sentence members was demonstrated as well. In particular, the article provides a detailed theoretical and practical discussion showing that a modifier can specify other modifiers, complements, and adverbials; a complement can specify modifiers, other complements, and adverbials; and an adverbial can modify modifiers, complements, and other adverbials. The conclusions presented in the article can serve as a valuable scientific and practical resource for grammarians, researchers, and philology students studying the Kazakh language.