11)The field theory approach to parts-of-speech classification. Classification of parts

of speech in English. Ch.Fries’ classification.

The verbal category of voice shows the direction of the process as regards the participants

of the situation reflected in the syntactic construction.

2 sets of verbs:1.passivized 2.non-passivized (e.g. have, belong cost)

The category of voice is realized by binary-privative opposition, where the passive voice

is the strong member (be…en). It denotes relations between an action and a subject and

an object. The big problem in connection with the voice identification in English is the

problem of “medial” voices. Ex:The bells rang. The fabrics washes easily.

They are passive in their meaning but the forms are active. Such constructions are called

causative à the bells were made to ring, but it is presented as if they rang themselves è

Middle (neuter) voice. There is specific meaning, but no specific form.

Reflexive voice – e.g. He hurt himself (V + reflexive pronoun).

Iliysh: He hurt himself and the child – himself is a direct object, but not a part of the verb.

But in some cases the pronoun can be omitted, e.g. He washed, dressed – the meaning of

reflexivity remains.

Reciprocal voice – formed with the help of analytical means (each other, one another).

The meaning of the reciprocal voice is obvious – mutuality. The subject is often plural,

but meaning can be expressed implicitly.

They met (each other) at the station.

Passive voice (to be + PII)

Some linguists say that there are some other auxiliary verbs - to get, to become, e.g. He

became surprised. Counter arguments: get and become retain their lexical meaning.

The radio was invented by Popov./Popov invented radio.

!!!!Actual division of the sentence changes.

Passive has its own sphere of use. For depersonifying in scientific literature. Passive can be

a means of supra-phrasal connection.

Within passive structures we discriminate:

Direct ,Indirect ,Prepositional,Phraseological,Adverbial passive

Another controversial question concerns the border-line between the morphological form

of the passive voice and syntactical form of the corresponding compound nominal predicate

with the pure link be.

12) The noun as a part of speech. The problem of the category of gender.

The Noun is a word expressing substance in the widest sense of the word.

Noun has a categorial meaning of thingness, because noun effects nomination of the

fullest value. N-central nominative lexemic unit of L. It functions are determined by it’s

semantics. It can be subject, object, attribute, adverbial & predicative.

Types of combinability:

-Prepositional with other nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs. Ex: An entrance to the house.

-The case that is possessive ex: The President’s speech

-With one another by sheer contact ex: Film festival

The existence of this combination (3 types) is a big problem for many scholars. How to

treat them? Whether it is one separate word or a word group. It’s a so called “stone-wall

problem” The N is characterized by a set of formal features. It has its typical suffixes,

stem models, conversial patterns. Not all scholars are unanimous on the number of

grammatical categories of the noun. Ilyish: The Noun in ME has only 2 grammatical

categories: number & case. The existence of case appears to be doubtful & has to be

carefully analyzed. Хаймович, Роговская: besides number & case, article determination.

Blokh: Noun is the main nominative part of speech, effecting nomination of the fullest

value within the framework of the notional division of lexicon.

Classification of nouns:

1.Proper&common noun (the base of this division is “type of nomination”

2.Animate&Inanimate (the base of this division is form existence)

3.Human&Non-human (based on personal quality)

4.Countable&Uncountable (quantitative structure)

The problem of the category of gender:

Ilyish The ME noun has not got the category of grammatical gender.

+ Between the Sg & the Pl an additional difference of meaning has developed à the

plural form develops a completely new meaning which the singular has not got at all

(e.g. colour / colours)- the plural form has been lexicalized.

Blokh: The category of gender is expressed in English by the obligatory correlation

of nouns with the personal pronouns of the 3^rd person. It’s strictly oppositional, firmed

by 2 oppositions hierarchically related.1. Personal noun (strong). 2. Non-personal (weak).

The other oppositions function in the subject of person nouns only. The cases of

reductions: 1.Non-person & their substitute are used in the positions of neutralization.

2.Great number of nouns is capable for expressing both female & masculine person

genders. Ex: person, parent, friend have a common gender. In plural all

genders-neutralized. Nouns can show the sex of their referents lexically ex: boy-friend,

girl-friend or with the help of suffixes –ess (mistress). Category of gender in English

is semantic because it reflects the actual features of the named objects, but the semantics

of the category doesn’t in the list make it into a non-grammatical one.