The Nominative Absolute Participial Construction

It is a construction in which the participle stands in predicate relation to a noun in the Common Case or a pronoun in the Nominative Case; the noun or pronoun is not the subject of the sentence. The door and window of the vacant room being open, we looked in. - Оскільки двері і вікно в пустій кімнаті були відчинені, ми зазирнули до неї.

The difference between a participial phrase and a nominative absolute participial construction may be illustrated as follows: Having read the novel, Jane (she) put it aside. - In a participial phrase the subject of the sentence is as a rule related both to the predicate verb and to the participle.

The novel having been read, Jane (she) put it aside. In a sentence with a nominative absolute participial construction the subject of the sentence is related only to the predicate verb.

Occasionally for the sake of emphasis or clarity the subject of the sentence and of the construction refer to the same person or thing, as in: The whole building being of wood, it seemed to carry every sound like a drum.

In the Nominative Absolute Participial Construction Participle I (in all its forms) or Participle II is used. This construction is generally rendered in Ukrainian by means of an adverbial clause, e. g.: The letter being written, I went to post it. - Коли лист був написаний, я пішов опустити його у поштову скриньку. Circumstances permitting, we shall start tomorrow. - Якщо дозволять обставини, ми вирушимо завтра

It is used only in the functions of an attribute and an adverbial modifier. It can be:

1. a complex attribute, e.g.: Artists and plumbers and doctors, mechanics and salesmen and students, many carrying shortguns and rifles, axes and scythes. They passed old villages, some of them deserted and forlorn, and saw an ancient abandoned castle high on a hill.

2. a complex adverbial modifier of time, e.g.: The question being settled, we went home. This duty completed, he had a three months leave.

3. a complex adverbial modifier of cause, e.g.: The ship’s band did not play in the morning, it being Sunday. We began to talk, but my attention distracted by my surroundings, I took small notice of him.

4. a complex adverbial modifier of attending circumstances or manner (in this function the Nominative Absolute Participial Construction is mostly placed at the end of the sentence), e.g.: Mabel hurried out of the car and walked away, tears streaming down her face. He sat on the sofa, his legs crossed. She was smoking now, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

5. a complex adverbial modifier of condition, e.g.: Weather permitting, the ship will leave the harbour at dawn. He was a gentleman, but he was passionate, the cup once sipped, would he consent to put it down?

The Nominative Absolute Participial Construction very often occurs in fiction and scientific literature; the use of this construction in colloquial English is rare.

 

The Nominative Absolute Construction

It is a construction in which we find no participle. The second element of the construction is an adjective, a prepositional phrase or an adverb, e.g.: The lecture over, we left the hall. He stood on deck, pipe in mouth.

It is used in the function of:

1. a complex attribute, e.g.: Moderly stood out like an enchanted house, every window aflame.

2. a complex adverbial modifier of time, e.g.: Everybody at home, we sat down to dinner.

3. a complex adverbial modifier of attending circumstances, e.g.: There he stood, his face to the south-east, … his cap in his hand.

Mind the difference between the meanings of the following constructions:

The lesson (concert, lecture) over … and

The lesson (concert, lecture) being over …

The lesson over … has a temporal meaning, whereas the lesson being over has as a rule a causal meaning.