What are quasi coordinator?

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Man_From_India

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1. What is the definition of Quasi-coordinator? I know a few examples of quasi coordinator like "as well as", but I want to know the definition so that whenever I find a quasi coordinator I can pick that up as a quasi coordinator even if that word doesn't fall into my list of learned quasi coordinator.

I was reading Flower's Modern English Usage book and there the following was written

Nouns joined by quasi coordinators. Nouns joined by other linking words or quasi-coordinators (e.g. accompanied by, as well as, not to mention, together with, etc.) are followed by a singular verb if the first noun or noun phrase is singular: A very profitable company such as British Telecom, along with many other companies in the UK, is not prepared to pay a reasonable amount; Daddy had on the hairy tweed jacket with leather elbow patches which, together with his pipe, was his trade mark. So too when the linking words are or or nor. Every run-out or Ibw is similarly analysed; neither our mourning nor our rejoicing is as the world's is (T. S. Eliot, 1935)
 

MikeNewYork

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The word "quasi-coordinator" means "a phrase that resembles a coordinator" (conjunction). It looks like a coordinating conjunction but it functions more like a preposition. This is important because nouns that are linked by these phrases do not become plural subjects if the subject noun is singular.

If you look at Fowler's example you will see "along with many other companies in the UK" is -- a singular verb.
If you replace "along with" with "and" you would need are -- a plural verb.

Another example:

The President, accompanied by his Secretary of State, is entering the meeting room.
The President and his Secretary of State are entering the meeting room.
 

Man_From_India

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So "as well as" is considered as a quasi coordinator. But when I looked at this term in Merriam Webster's Dictionary, it says it's both a conjunction and preposition. So what is the catch?

I also searched for the difference between conjunction and preposition here, but it's of not much help.

Well, just tell me how to distinguish a quasi coordinator from other coordinators, conjunctions and prepositions?
 

MikeNewYork

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I checked Webster's. The examples are different. For your thread's use, they defined the phrase as a preposition.

I have already explained the difference. The importance of quasi-coordinators is limited to subject-verb agreement. Absent that they are unimportant.
In other cases, prepositions and conjunctions are easy to distinguish.
 

Man_From_India

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Under "as well as" entry in MW dictionary, both conjunction and preposition meaning is listed. When used as conjunction it means "and in addition", and when used as preposition it means "in addition to". Both means the same thing, only used as either conjunction and preposition. Well in some cases when used to mean "and" we can hardly distinguish it as either conjunction or preposition.
I get it from your reply that if it's conjunction, it's conjunction. If it's other parts of speech it's used as quasi coordinator.
Here in case of "as well as", when used as preposition we can say it's quasi coordinator as it acts as conjunction. But when "as well as" is used as conjunction, it's not quasi coordinator. It's plain conjunction. Given "as well as" has the same meaning in both form, it's very hard to tell whether it's used as conjunction or preposition. So both the sentences should be correct -

1. The teacher as well as the students gathers at the field for morning prayer. (in accordance to the rule mentioned in OP)
2. The teacher as well as their students gather at the field for morning prayer.
 

MikeNewYork

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First of all, "quasi-coordinator" is a description, not a part of speech. Dictionaries have to classify words/expressions as something. And in many cases the line between one part of speech and another is fuzzy.

Your first sentence is impossible. A singular person cannot gather. So it should be "The teacher and the students gather(ed) at the field for morning prayer.

Your second sentence would be fine if you pluralize "teacher". "
The teachers as well as their students gather(ed) at the field for morning prayer.
 

Man_From_India

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So what I understand by "quasi coordinator" is that it's not a single word, it's generally a phrase (set of words, either an idiom or anything else) acts together like a conjunction. Am I right?
 
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MikeNewYork

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Yes, but more like a preposition than a conjunction.
 

Man_From_India

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Now I am getting back to the discussion of "as well as". As said in post #5, it's very hard to distinguish "as well as" used as a conjunction or preposition. So it can act both ways - quasi coordinator and other. So the examples -

1. The President, accompanied by his Secretary of State, is entering the meeting room. (according to the rules of quasi coordinator stated in OP)
2.
The President, accompanied by his Secretary of State, are entering the meeting room.
 

MikeNewYork

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The second is incorrect. Please review what has already been posted.
 

Man_From_India

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I didn't get it. Please guide me.
 

MikeNewYork

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I have guided you back through the thread. I am not going to repeat everything I wrote.
 
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