Peter,

Here's my take on it:

   - They are adverbs in that they can move about within their clauses
   without requiring any alteration to the existing structure.
    - They are conjunctions in that they indicate a relationship between
   the clause in which they occur and another clause, usually preceding it.

To use one of your example sentences:

Ed believes in innate knowledge, and Phil, therefore, agrees with him.


   - The word "and" is a conjunction signaling a plus relationship to the
   previous clause.  It is not, however adverbial:  it cannot be moved.
   - The word "therefore" is also a conjunction signaling a cause /
   effect relationship to the previous clause.  It differs from "and" (and
   other coordinate or subordinate conjunctions) in that it is movable, so it's
   called adverbial.

I agree with Geoff, however:  it's a term that I do not use with my students
because it is so meaningless to them.

John

On 9/10/06, Peter Adams <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Everyone seems to agree, even Martha Kolln and the Cambridge Grammar, that
> conjunctive adverbs are, indeed, conjunctions.  I still don't see why they
> are not just considered adverbs.  Does anyone see it my way?
>
>
>
> Peter Adams
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