Calling such a clause adverbial is testimony to the inadequacy of
terminology.  Adverb is already too broad a category, including such
disparate forms as "very", "carefully", and "presumably", and probably
should not be extended further.  These clauses are actually adjectival
complements, in the same sense that we have noun complement clauses like

The fact that it rained all day depressed me.

"If" and "whether" show up in sentences like

It's doubtful whether they'll show up.
It's unclear if the Alumni Association wants us to keep in touch.

Both of these can take "that" instead, but then the meaning changes a
little.

Herb


Subject: Adverb clauses with "that"

"I am glad/sorry/happy that you made the trip."

Would everybody agree that "that you made the trip" is an adverb clause
modifying glad/sorry/happy?


"Jim was so elated that he did a little dance."

Would everybody agree that "that he did a little dance" is an adverb
clause modifying "so"?

My sense is that most grammarians today prefer to reserve "adverb" for
modifiers of verbs only.  When such modifiers are clauses ("I stayed
home because I was sick"), they are called either "adverb," "adverbial,"
or "subordinate" clauses. But in looking through various books, I do not
find much discussion of clauses   such as those above.  

A final question:  can anyone think of a subordinator OTHER than "that"
that introduces a clause modifying an adjectival subjective complement
such as glad/sorry/happy above?   






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