Ho scoperto che oltre alle congiunzioni e alle preposizioni esistono poi i cosiddetti "free connectors" che possono essere usati per esprimere lo stesso concetto ma che sono più liberi (?) cioè collegano due frasi senza far parte nè dell'una nè dell'altra.
Perdonatemi se mi spiego male, ma davvero, non sono un'insegnante e non so nemmeno se ho capito bene questa cosa. Però è interessante e magari voi la capite meglio di me.
Comunque i connectors dovrebbero essere questo:
FREE CONNECTORS connect two different sentences but they are not part of any of them. They connect two simple sentences but don't join them. Grammatically speaking, both sentences stay simple, but the relationship between them is the same as in a compound sentence.
Quindi veniamo ai nostri FREE CONNECTORS of CONSTRAST
per completare la casistica già iniziata con although, even tough, despite e in spite of
The same idea as ALTHOUGH, but as a free connector, can be expressed with these 6 connectors:
ON THE OTHER HAND
It's not a very nice flat. On the other hand, it's very cheap
I wanted to go, but on the other hand, I was too tired, so I stayed at home
Optionally, you can use it with ON THE ONE HAND with the other contrasting idea. This dual construction emphizes the contrast:
On the one hand I wanted to go, but on the other hand, I was too tired
NEVERTHELESS
HOWEVER
YET / STILL
THOUGH
ANYWAY
They all have the same meaning, but they differ in the place they take inside the sentence:
BETWEEN TWO SENTENCES Nevertheless, However, On the other hand, Yet, Still
He says he needs money. XXX, he has 2 houses and 2 cars
- I love you. XXX, I can't marry you
I like that car. XXX, I don't have money, so I can't buy it
IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMPOUND SENTENCE Nevertheless, However, On the other hand, Though
I was getting bored at the party. When she arrived, XXX, I knew it would be fun
AT THE END Though, Anyway (but never "although")
It's a bit strange. I like it, XXX
None of these can go at the beginning of the first sentence
Questo schema qui sopra arricchisce quanto abbiamo già detto a proposito di altough, even though, despite e in spite of per esprimere "nonostante..."
Abbiamo detto che "altough" e "even though" erano congiunzioni e "despite" e "in spite of" preposizioni, quindi i primi erano seguiti da vere e proprie proposizioni, mentre gli altri solo da un nome o da un verbo in -ing. Per riassumere ho trovato uno schema (che integra quello messo qui sopra e che mi sembra molto chiaro)
BUT
It's very strange, but I like it
(AL)THOUGH
Although/though it's very strange, I like it
It may be emphasized by putting "even" before: EVEN THOUGH
Even though it's very strange, I like it
ALTHOUGH and THOUGH mean exactly the same and are used the same, but THOUGH is more informal and more common when talking, and ALTHOUGH is more formal and more common when writing.
Notice that (AL)THOUGH and BUT are both conjunctions and mean the same, but they go with different sentences:
A but B (BUT can never go at the beginning of the sentence)
B although A / Although B, A
