Konjunktiona

Konjunktiona is a term used in linguistics to describe a word class that links words, phrases, or clauses within sentences. It corresponds to the English term conjunction and encompasses a range of connective elements that help build complex clauses and cohesive discourse.

The main subtypes are coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions. Coordinating conjunctions join elements of equal syntactic rank, as in and, but, or. Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, such as because, although, if, or when. Correlative conjunctions pair two elements to create a linked relationship, as in both… and, either… or, or neither… nor. Some languages also use conjunctive particles or complementizers to mark clause linkage, which can behave like conjunctions in connecting ideas or reporting speech.

Conjunctions serve multiple functions, including expressing addition, choice, contrast, cause, condition, time, or manner, and they often influence the rhythm and structure of sentences. They can also indicate discourse-level relations, such as consequence or concession, and help regulate the scope of negation or modality across clauses.

In many languages, konjunktiona are a closed class of words that do not inflect for person, number, or gender, though some languages employ particles or clitics that behave like conjunctions and may interact with the surrounding syntax. Historical change often yields conjunctions from adverbs or pronouns, leading to diverse forms and uses across languages.

Etymology traces the term to Latin coniunctio or Greek roots related to joining. See also conjunction, subordination, complementizer, and clause linkage.