Intro to Purpose Clauses
What does a purpose clause do?
•Purpose clauses are subordinate to the mainclause, the original statement of the sentence.
•They go one step further than the main clauseto answer the question: “why?”
–In other words, a purpose clause defines whatsomeone intends to achieve by a particular courseof action – their PURPOSE!
Some Examples:
•I’m driving to California.
–why?
•I’m visiting my brother.
•Combined to produce a main clause andsubordinate purpose clause:
–I’m driving to California to visit my brother.
The structure of purpose clauses
•Let’s look at our example:
–I’m driving to California to visit my brother.
•How do we express purpose in English?
–I’m driving to California to visit my brother.
In English, the purpose clause begins with theinfinitive
How does Latin show purpose?
•In Latin, the purpose clause begins not with theinfinitive, but with ut (in order that)
–the verb of the purpose clause is a subjunctive verb
Ex: Venit ut eam videat.
He is coming in order that he may see her.
Using the English infinitive construction:
He is coming to see her.
Negative purpose clauses
•In Latin a negative purpose clause beginswith ne (in order that…not)
Ex: Puella discedit ne videatur.
The girl is leaving in order that she notbe seen.
Using the English infinitive construction:
The girl is leaving to not be seen.
Purpose clauses with comparatives
•N.B. When the Purpose clause has a comparative,ut is often replaced by an adjective or relativepronoun in the ablative.
Ex:Gladium abicit quo facilius currat.
He is throwing away his sword in orderthat he may run more easily.
Using the English infinitive construction:
He is throwing away his sword to runmore easily.