Relating clause complexity to Register

In the following, we will look at two measures of how complex a text is in terms of clause structure. We will then
analyse two texts with these measures. We will then try to relate our findings to what we know about register.
The two measures:
a) Independent clauses per sentence: The number of independent clauses per sentence indicates the degree to
which the writer/speaker is using coordination/apposition to structure their message.
b) Embedded Clauses per independent clause: this measure tells us the degree to which the speaker writer is using
subordination to structure their message.
Counting independent clauses: For each sentence, look for cases of coordination or apposition, but only at the top
level (dont count coordination within dependent clauses). E.g.,
I like Mary. 1 independent clause
I like Mary and she likes me. 2 independent clauses
I said that she should come home and help me. 1 independent clause
I like Mary because she is sweet. 1 independent clause
Counting embedded clauses: For each sentence, look for cases of dependent clauses (clauses functioning as
Subject, Object, Complement, Adjunct or Postmodifier of a noun). Also include clauses embedded within embedded
clauses
I like Mary. 0 embedded clause
I like Mary and she likes me. 0 embedded clauses
I said that she should come home and help me. 2 embedded clause
I like Mary because she is sweet. 1 embedded clause
I said she should come home because I needed help. 2 embedded clause
The boy that I date is someone you know. 2 embedded clause

Register and clause complexity: Normally we expect spoken texts to join clauses together using
coordination/apposition, and some use of Adjunct embedding. We might also get Object embedding when thoughts
and sayings are reported, e.g., and he said he had to go. But less of the other kinds of embedded clauses.
Written text on the other hand should use more embedding, in Subject, Object and Adjunct position, but also
strongly as a noun Postmodifier (e.g., relative clauses). They do however use some degree of clause coordination.
We should thus see a higher degree of embedded clauses per independent clause in writing. The number
ofindependet clauses per sentence can be high or low in both spoken or written registers. It is just that in spoken
text, the coordination stands out because there is less embedding.

Text 1:
War broke out in 1939 for a variety of reasons which can be traced back to the First World
War and the peace treaties that were imposed on the defeated nations in its aftermath.
Following the armistice of 1918 the victorious Allied forces created a peace settlement that
was designed to prevent the reemergence of a warring German race. In doing so they
isolated Germany, restricted opportunities for German integration into the politics of
Western Europe and sowed the seeds of German discontent. The high levels of
unemployment in Germany following the war, and the growing feeling that the troops had
been 'stabbed in the back' provided extremist political groups an ideal opportunity to win
support. With Allied troops occupying parts of Germany and huge swathes of land being
removed from the control of the Weimar Government, it was easy for political groups to
point to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and suggest that things would be much better
if they were revoked.
Field: History (origins of the Second World War)
Tenor: Writer is expert on the field, reader is assumed to be less knowledgeable. Fairly distant (no
sign of informality).
Mode: Written, pre-prepared. No visual contact. No feedback possibility. Language as reflection.

Calculations:
1. Lexical density: content words / all words = %

2. Clause complexity:
Number of sentences:
Number of independent clauses:
Number of embedded clauses:
Independent clauses/sentences: / =
Embedded clauses /Independent clauses: / =

Text 2: (from Labov and Waletzky: Narrative Analysis)
Like I was a kid, you know, and she was the baddest girl, the baddest girl in the
neighbourhood. If you didn't bring her candy to school, she would punch you in the mouth,
and you had to kiss her when she'd tell you. This girl was only about 12 years old, man, but
she was a killer. She didn't take no junk; she whupped all her brothers. And I came to school
one day and I didn't have no money. My ma wouldn't give me no money.
So I go to school and this girl says "Where's the candy?" I said "I don't have it." She says,
powww! So I says to myself, there's gonna be times my mother won't give me money
because we're a poor family. And I can't take this all, you know, every time she don't give
me any money. Well, I just gotta fight this girl. She's gonna hafta whup me. I hope she don't
whup me.
And I hit the girl: powwww! And I put something on it. I win the fight
Field: Children fighting
Tenor: Speaker is an Interviewee, speaking to an academic interviewer. Fairly informal setting.
Mode: Spoken and transcribed, not prepared, but perhaps told previously. Possibility of feedback,
but not evident in the text. Language as reflection.

Calculations:
1. Lexical density: content words / all words = %

2. Clause complexity:
Number of sentences:
Number of independent clauses:
Number of embedded clauses:
Independent clauses/sentences: / =
Embedded clauses /Independent clauses: / =

Interpretation of differences related to register: