Lecture 9 The Noun. The Category of Article Determination

Article is a determining unit of specific nature accompanying the noun in communicative collocations. Where as the function of the determiners such as this, any, some, etc. Is to explicitly interpret the referent of the noun in relation to other objects or phenomena, the semantic purpose of the article is to specify the nounal referent, to denote it in the most general way.

The peculiarity of the article is that the use of the article with the noun is quite obligatory. And this peculiar feature of the article arises a problem as far as its segmental status in the system of morphology. Namely, the problem is whether the article is a purely auxiliary element of a special grammatical form of the noun which functions as a component of a definite morphological category, or it is a separate word, i.e. a lexical unit in the determiner word set. The following arguments were put forward to support the theory of the article as a separate unit.

Semantic observation discloses three meaningful characterizations of the nounal referent rendered by the definite, the indefinite and the meaningful absence of the article.

1. The definite article expresses the identification or individualization of the referent of the noun. The use of this article shows that the object denoted is taken in its concrete, individual quality. This meaning is exposed by a substitution test which consists in replacing the article by a demonstrative word. Look at the apple-tree! —♦ Look at this apple-tree!

2. The indefinite article is commonly interpreted as referring the object denoted by the noun to a certain class of similar objects. The indefinite article expresses a classifying generalization of the nounal referent. This meaning is exposed by a substitution test which consists in insertions of classifying phrases. We passed a water-null. —* We passed a certain (a kind of) water-mill

3. Various uses of nouns without an article, from the semantic point of view, should be divided, into two types: meaningful and not meaningful. Not meaningful absence of article takes place in the following cases. First, there are uses where the articles are deliberately omitted out of stylistic considerations. For instance, in telegraphic speech, in titles and headlines, in various notices. Telegram received room reserved for weekend (the telegram text).

In such kind of cases the omitted articles can be easily restored: The

telegram is received, a room is reserved for the weekend.

Second, there are cases of the semantically unspecified non-use of the article in various combinations of fixed type:

• prepositional phrases (on fire, at hand, in debt, etc.);

• fixed verbal collocations (take place, make use, etc.);

• descriptive coordinate groups and repetition groups (man and wife, dog and

gun, day by day, etc.).

The meaningful non-uses of the article are not homogeneous.

First, the meaningful absence of the article before the countable noun in the singular signifies that the noun is taken in an abstract sense. This meaning is called “absolute generalization” and may be demonstrated by inserting the following generalizing modifiers, such as in general, in the abstract, in the broadest sense.

Law (in general) begins with the beginning of human society.

Second, the absence of the article before the uncountable noun corresponds to the two kinds of generalization: both relative and absolute. To decide which of the two meanings is realized in any particular case, the described tests should be carried out alternately:

John laughed with great bitterness (that sort of bitterness: relative generalization).

Ritter ness (in general: absolute generalization) is always harmful for your health.

Third, the absence of the article before the countable noun in the plural, likewise, corresponds to both kinds of generalization.

Stars, planets, comets (these kinds of objects: relative generalization) are different celestial bodies.

Wars (in general: absolute generalization) should be eliminated as means of deciding international disputes.

Passing to the situational estimation of the article uses, we must point out that the basic principle of their differentiation is not a direct consideration of their meanings, but concrete contextual conditions of their usage. From this angle, the definite article serves as an indicator of the nounal information which is presented as the “facts already known”, or starting point of the communication (the theme). In contrast to this, the indefinite article or the meaningful absence of the article introduces the part rendering the immediate informational data to be conveyed from the speaker to the listener (the rheme).

In accord with the said situational functions, the typical syntactic position of the noun modified by the definite article is that of the subject, while the typical syntactic position of the noun modified by the indefinite article or by the meaningful absence of the article is that of the predicative.

How to handle the situation was a big question.

It should be noted that in many other cases of syntactic use, i.e. non- subjective or non-predicative, the articles reflect the same situational functions.

1 am going to make a rather strange request (object) to you. —* What I am going to make is a rather strange request (predicative) to you.

Another essential contextual-situational characteristic of the articles is their immediate connection with the two types of attributes to the noun. The limiting attribute requires the definite article, while the descriptive attribute requires the indefinite one.

She was the person I have been looking for all my life. (A limiting attribute)

She was a person of strong will and iron self-control (A descriptive attribute)

From the point of view of the oppositional approach the category of article determination may be represented by two levels. The opposition of the higher level operates in the whole system of articles. It contrasts the definite article against the indefinite article and the meaningful absence of the article. In this opposition the definite article should be interpreted as the strong member by virtue of its identifying and individualising function, while the other forms of article determination should be interpreted as the weak member leaving the feature in question unspecified.

The opposition of the lower level operates within the article subsystem that forms the weak member of the upper opposition. This opposition contrasts the two types of generalisation, namely the relative generalisation distinguishing its strong member (the indefinite article plus meaningful absence of article) and the absolute generalisation distinguishing the weak member of the opposition (the meaningful absence of the article).

The best way of demonstrating the actual oppositional value of the articles on the immediate textual material is to contrast them in syntactically equivalent conditions in pairs.

The train stopped (that train). - A train stopped (some train).

I m afraid the oxygen is out (our supply of oxygen). Oxygen is necessary for life (oxygen in general).

Be careful, there is a puddle under your feet (a kind of puddle). - Be careful, ihere is mud on the ground (as different from clean space).

New information should be gathered on this subject (some information). - Scientific information should be gathered systematically in all fields of human knowledge (information in general).

Summarising the data obtained we can state that the English noun distinguishes also the category of determination expressed by the article paradigm of three grammatical forms: the definite, the indefinite, the zero (the meaningful absence of article). The paradigm is generalised for the whole system of the common nouns, being transpositionaliy outstretched into the system of proper nouns. The status of the combination of the article with the noun should be defined as basically analytical, being localised between the free syntactic combination of words (bearing in mind the possibility of insertion) and the combination of a grammatical affix with a notional stem.

Lecture 10 Peculiarities of the Adjective as a Part of Speech

The adjective expresses the categorial semantics of property of a substance. It means that each adjective used in the text presupposes relation to some noun the property of whose referent it denotes, such as its material, colour, dimensions, position, state, and other characteristics both permanent and temporary. It follows from this that, unlike nouns, adjectives do not possess a full nominative value.

Adjectives are distinguished by a specific combinability with nouns, which they modify, if not accompanied by adjuncts, usually in pre-position, and occasionally in post-position; by a combinability with link-verbs, both functional and notional; by a combinability with modifying adverbs.

In the sentence the adjective performs the functions of an attribute and a predicative. Of the two, the more specific function of the adjec­tive is that of an attribute, since the function of a predicative can be performed by the noun as well.

To the derivational features of adjectives belong a number of suffixes and prefixes of which the most important are: -fu! (hopeful), -less (flawless), -ish (bluish), -ous (famous), -ive (decorative). -ic (basic); un- (unprecedented), in- (inaccurate), pre- (premature). Among the adjectival affixes should also be named the prefix a-, constitutive for the stative subclass.

The English adjective is distinguished by the hybrid category of comparison. The ability of an adjective to form degrees of comparison is usually taken as a formal sign of its qualitative character, in opposition to a relative adjective which is understood as incapable of forming degrees of comparison by definition. However, in actual speech the described principle of distinction is not at all strictly observed.

On the one hand, adjectives can denote such qualities of substances which are incompatible with the idea of degrees of comparison. Here refer adjectives like extinct, immobile, deaf, final, fixed, etc.

On the other hand, many adjectives considered under the heading of relative still can form degrees of comparison, thereby, as it were, transforming the denoted relative property of a substance into such as can be graded quantitatively, e.g.: of a military’ design - of a less military design - of a more military design.

In order to overcome the demonstrated lack of rigour in the differentiation of qualitative and relative adjectives, we may introduce an additional linguistic distinction which is more adaptable to the chances of usage. The suggested distinction is based on the evaluative function of adjectives. According as they actually give some qualitative evaluation to the substance referent or only point out its corresponding native property, all the adjective functions may be grammatically divided into “evaluative” and “specificative”. In particular, one and the same adjective, irrespective of its being basically “relative” or “qualitative”, can be used either in the evaluative function or in the specificative function.

The introduced distinction between the evaluative and specificative uses of adjectives, in the long run, emphasizes the fact that the morphological category of comparison (comparison degrees) is potentially represented in the whole class of adjectives and is constitutive for it.

Fhe category of adjectival comparison expresses the quantitative characteristic of the quality of a nounal referent. The category is constituted by the opposition of the three forms known under the heading of degrees of comparison; the basic form (positive degree), having no features of comparison; the comparative degree form, having the feature of restricted superiority (which limits the comparison to two elements only); the superlative degree form, having the feature of unrestricted superiority.

Both formally and semantically, the oppositional basis of the category of comparison displays a binary nature. In terms of the three degrees of comparison, at the upper level of presentation the superiority degrees as the marked member of the opposition are contrasted against the positive degree as its unmarked member. The superiority degrees, in their turn, form the opposition of the lower level of pres­entation, where the comparative degree features the functionally weak member, and the superlative degree, respectively, the strong member. The whole of the double oppositional unity, considered from the semantic angle,^constitutes a gradual ternary opposition.

The analytical forms of comparison, as different from the synthetic forms, are used to express emphasis, thus complementing the synthetic forms in the sphere of this important stylistic connotation. Analytical degrees of comparison are devoid of the feature of "semantic idiomatism” characteristic of some other categorial analytical forms, such as, e.g., the forms of the verbal perfect. For this reason the analytical degrees of comparison invite some linguists to call in question their claim to a categorial status in English grammar.

Lecture 11

Pecuiiarities of the Adverb as a Part of Speech

The adverb is usually defined as a word expressing either property of an action, or property of another property, or circumstances in which an action occurs. This definition, though certainly informative and instructive, fails to directly point out the relation between the adverb and the adjective as the primary qualifying part of speech.

To overcome this drawback, we should define the adverb as a notional word expressing a non-substantive property, that is, a property of a non-substantive referent. This formula immediately shows the actual correlation between the adverb and the adjective, since the adjective is a word expressing a substantive property.

In accord with their categorial semantics adverbs are characterized by a combinabiiity with verbs, adjectives and words of adverbial nature. The functions of adverbs in these combinations consist in expressing different adverbial modifiers. Adverbs can also refer to whole situations; in this function they are considered under the heading of “situation-determinants”. In accord with their word-building structure adverbs may be simple and derived.

The typical adverbial affixes in affixal derivation are, first and foremost, the basic and only productive adverbial suffix -ly (slowly), and then a couple of others of limited distribution, such as -ways (sideways), -wise (clockwise), -ward(s) (homewards). The characteristic adverbial prefix is a- (away). Among the adverbs there are also peculiar composite formations and phrasal formations of prepositional, conjunctional and other types: some limes, at least, to andfro, etc.

Adverbs are commonly divided into qualitative, quantitative and circumstantial. Qualitative adverbs express immediate, inherently non-graded qualities of actions and other qualities. The typical adverbs of this kind are qualitative adverbs in -ly. E.g.: bitterly, plainly. The adverbs interpreted as "quantitative" include words of degree. These are specific lexical units of semi­functional nature expressing quality measure, or gradational evaluation of qualities, e.g.: of high degree: very, quite; of excessive degree: too, awfully, of unexpected degree: surprisingly; of moderate degree: relatively; of low degree: a little; of approximate degree: almost; of optimal degree: adequately; of inadequate degree: unbearably; of under-degree: hardly Circumstantial adverbs are divided into functional and notional.

The functional circumstantial adverbs are words of pronominal nature. Besides quantitative (numerical) adverbs they include adverbs of time, place, manner, cause, consequence. Many of these words are used as syntactic connectives and question-forming functionals. Here belong such words as now, here, when, where, so, thus, how, why, etc. As for circumstantial notional adverbs, they include adverbs of time (today, never, shortly) and adverbs of place (homeward(s), near, ashore). The two varieties express a general idea of temporal and spa-cial orientation and essentially perform deictic (indicative) functions in the broader sense. On this ground they may be united under the general heading of “orientative” adverbs.

Thus, the whole class of adverbs will be divided, first, into nominal and pronominal, and the nominal adverbs will be subdivided into qualitative and orientative, the former including genuine qualitative adverbs and degree adverbs, the latter falling into temporal and local adverbs, with further possible subdivisions of more detailed specifications.

As is the case with adjectives, this lexemic subcategorization of adverbs should be accompanied by a more functional and flexible division into evaluative and specificative, connected with the catego-rial expression of comparison. Each adverb subject to evaluational grading by degree words expresses the category of comparison, much in the same way as adjectives do. Thus, not only qualitative, but also orientative adverbs, proving they come under the heading of evaluative, arc included into the categorial system of comparison, e.g.: ashore - more ashore - most ashore - less ashore - least ashore.