6.3. Functions and Significance of the Non-Finite Forms

As for the morphological form there is a subdivision. They are said to be Simple Non-Finite forms and Analytical Non-Finite Forms.

Two morphological forms of the Non-Finite Forms of the Verb:

*Simple:

to speak (simple or present infinitive active),

speaking (-ing form, whether simple gerund or present participle),

spoken (past participle);

*Analytical:

to be spoken (simple or present infinitive passive),

to be speaking (continuous infinitive),

to have spoken (perfect infinitive active),

to have been spoken (perfect infinitive passive),

to have been speaking (perfect continuous infinitive),

being spoken (-ing form, whether perfect simple gerund or perfect participle passive),

having spoken (-ing form, whether perfect gerund active or perfect participle active).

Non-Finite Forms can

express different meanings and shades of meanings of the Verb:

*Preceding (forgoing) non-finite activity: Past Participle, Present Participle Passive

For example:

Arrived in the town, he bought his usual weekly local paper (Past Participle).

Being completed, the book was issued (Present Participle Passive).

*Simultaneity: Present Participle (Active, Passive), Simple Gerund (Active, Passive), Simple or Present Infinitive (Active, Passive)

For example:

Reading a book, she was chewing a cheeseburger (Present Participle Active).

Being introduced to the people at the party, she felt no confuse (Present Participle Passive).

Reading means thinking (Simple Gerund Active).

Being heard and understood means successful communication (Simple Gerund Passive).

To understand the message of a book means to be able to get not only the context but also its implication (Present Infinitive Active).

To be listened does not mean to be heard (Present Infinitive Passive).

*Duration: Perfect Continuous Infinitive

For example:

Having been working under the project for a half of the year, he still could not complete it (Perfect Continuous Infinitive).

*Completeness: Perfect Gerund (Active, Passive), Perfect Participle (Active, Passive)

For example:

Having done any work completely makes me satisfied (Perfect Gerund Active).

Having been already asked makes me released (Perfect Gerund Passive).

Having prepared the work, he could enjoy himself (Perfect Participle Active).

Having been asked, he had to give an honest answer (Perfect Participle Passive).

*Activity Look at the preceding examples of Verbals

*Passivity differentially in Active and Passive forms

For example:

Having done any work completely makes me satisfied (Active form).

Having been already asked makes me released (Passive form).

VII Word-combination

7.1. The problem of the definition of Word-combination

7.2. Classification of Word-combinations

7.1. The problem of the definition of Word-combination

Word-combination can be called:

1. A phrase;

2. A word cluster / a cluster of words;

3. A word group / a group of words.

Word-combination and Sentence are regarded to be main unites of Syntax.

The problem of definition of Word-combination concerns the difficulty in giving the positive definition. It is usually defined negatively – what Word-combination does not refer to.

Thus the main negative differential characteristics of Word-combination is the following: Word-combination, in comparison with Sentence (they are compared because both refer to Syntax, not to morphology), does not have the communicative direction.

Definitions of Word-combination:

in the Occidental Linguistics	In the Home Linguistics
Word-combination together with Sentence is the main unity of Syntax. It has two or more elements which are related syntactically, can vary its forms in accordance with the peculiarities of syntactic combinations of its elements and does not have the communicative direction.	Syntactic unity which is called Word-combination is any syntactically organized group that consists of combination of Categorematic or Syntacategorematic words which are united with any type of syntactic connection.

Theory of Word-combination studies:

1. Its structure (main and dependent words / elements);

2. Arrangements of its elements, the principle of arrangement the elements of Word

combination in relation to each other (the order the elements of a word-combinations

take in its structure);

3. Its forms which can differ (the form a word-combination gets in the result of the

arrangement of its elements);

4. Syntactic relations between or among the elements of it (peculiarities of syntactic

combinations and relations in different forms of a word-combination).