Diagramming sentences in Danish

Paul Diderichsen introduced in 1957 a method for teaching sentence analysis in Danish schools which was similar to the system for German developed a century earlier for German, and even used the same terminology of ‘fields’ waiting to be filled. Here is an example from a website (whose existence is evidence that the system is still in use).

The table follows the normal word order for a main clause, distinguishing ‘forefield’ (before the finite verb), followed by ‘central field’ and ‘end field’, each of which starts with a verb (finite in the central field, non-finite in the end field), then a slot for a possible noun and one for an adverb. A slightly different table is provided for subordinate clauses, which have no forefield, and a finite verb at the end of the central field.

 

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