subordinare

Subordinare is a Italian verb meaning to subordinate, to place under the authority or dependence of something else, or to subject someone to a higher rank or rule. In grammar, the term also describes the process of linking a clause or phrase to a main clause so that it depends on the main assertion for its meaning. The related noun is subordinazione, and the past participle is subordinato.

Etymology and usage. The word derives from Latin subordinare, built from sub- “under” and ordinare “to order.” As a transitive verb, it commonly takes a direct object and, with the preposition a, expresses dependence or subjection: subordinare qualcosa a qualcosa, or subordinare una persona al suo superiore. In linguistic description, subordinare is used to indicate that a subordinate clause depends on and modifies or complements the main clause.

Grammatical role. In Italian, proposizioni subordinate are grouped into categories such as sostantive (completive/oggettive), relative, and avverbiali. Subordinate sostantive function as the subject or object of a verb or adjective, as in “Penso che venga” (I think that he is coming). Proposizioni relative function like adjectives, e.g., “La casa che vedi.” Proposizioni avverbiali express time, cause, purpose, condition, or concession, e.g., “Quando arriva, iniziamo” or “Non esco perché piove.”

Use in broader language. Subordination also appears outside linguistics in law, administration, and discourse, where to subordinate one matter to another means to make it dependent, conditional, or subordinate to a higher authority or rule.

See also: proposizioni subordinate, congiunzione subordinante, subordinazione.