Nominal Categories in English PDF

THE NOMINAL CATEGORIES IN ENGLISH Number, {Gender}, Case Talking points A classification of Ns Number with English nouns Case, with a focus on the Genitive; types of G, G constructions First, a classification lexical morphology: derived, compounds, converted, contracted cont...

THE NOMINAL CATEGORIES IN ENGLISH Number, {Gender}, Case Talking points A classification of Ns Number with English nouns Case, with a focus on the Genitive; types of G, G constructions First, a classification lexical morphology: derived, compounds, converted, contracted content: proper Ns (≠ Proper Names) count Ns (concrete/abstract) mass Ns (concrete/abstract) collective Ns (specific/generic/unique) NUMBER a primary, twofold category (cf. Indo-European) an inflectional category (i.e. marked morphologically: external, internal, combination, zero) Countability: count dual membership mass Ns with dual membership Gradability (by means of partitive expressions): measures typical partitives general partitives (cf. Quirk et al.1985) A bit of paper, cheese, ham, cloth, wood, information, fun, advice, news A piece of paper, cheese, meat, chocolate, bread, toast, wood, advice, news A clove of garlic (vs a head of garlic) A drop of milk, whisk(e)y, sherry, water, blood A game of cards, tennis, monopoly, golf A loaf of bread A pinch of salt A ray of sunshine, light, hope A scrap of paper, cloth, evidence A slice of bread, ham, cheese, turkey A speck of dust, dirt A spoonful of sugar (Cf. Downing&Locke, 2006) Various types of container are used to quantify both mass and count referents: A bottle of wine, beer, whisk(e)y, water A cup/ mug of tea, coffee A can of beer, petrol A carton of yogurt, cream, custard A pack of cards, milk, fruit juice, yoghurts A packet of detergent, tea, coffee, cigarettes, biscuits A tablet of soap, chocolate A tin of tomatoes, soup, sardines, biscuits (Cf. Downing&Locke, 2006) Variable Ns vs. Invariable Ns (sg. + pl.) (sg./pl.) singularia tantum pluralia tantum VARIABLE NOUNS ❖singular form (unmarked) ❖plural form (marked) ‘regular’ vs. ‘irregular’ plurals Variable nouns ‘Regular’ plurals {N-s} allophonic variation of {-s}: /iz/, /z/, /s/ orthographic variation of {N}: addition of ‘-e-’, treatment of –y, gemination, ‘s. ‘Irregular’ plurals: 1.Voicing + {-s}: /s/, /f/, /Ѳ/ to /z/, /v/, /ð/ 2. Internal inflection (‘mutation plurals’) 3.‘-en’ plurals 4.Ø plurals 5.Etymological plurals (‘foreign’) Cf. "Tiger King" and Joe Exotic have quickly become cultural phenomenons, a nearly impossible feat in the era of the coronavirus. (Washington Post) = something that is impressive or extraordinary. = a remarkable or exceptional person; prodigy; wonder Invariable nouns Singularia tantum Ns: i. concrete mass Ns, e.g. milk, paint, cheese, equipment, furniture, money... (exceptions: stylistic plurals) ii. abstract mass Ns, e.g. knowledge, truth, information, music, failure, kindness... (exceptions: change in the semantic subclass) iii. proper names Singularia tantum Ns (cont.): iv. invariable Ns ending in –s: – ‘news’ – subject names in –ics, e.g. phonetics, linguistics – names of diseases, e.g. measles, mumps, chills – game names, e.g. dominoes, billiards, darts – proper names, e.g. Athens, Wales, Brussels v. abstract adjectival heads Pluralia tantum Ns: I. summation plurals, e.g. binoculars, scissors, pants, shorts, trousers... II. other pluralia tantum in –s, e.g. Middle Ages, amends, bowels, brains, guts, wages... III. proper names, e.g. the Alps, the Netherlands IV. invariable unmarked plurals, e.g. cattle, clergy, police, people V. personal adjectival heads GENDER natural vs. grammatical gender criteria for gender selection male vs. female animate vs. inanimate personal vs. non-personal GENDER The gender classes in English: ❑ masculine (he/who) ❑ feminine (she/who) ❑ dual (he/she/who; it/which) ❑ neuter (it/which) cf. Quirk et al. (1985): animate personal (5 subclasses), animate non-personal (5 subclasses), inanimate GENDER NORMATIVE vs. INTIMATE pattern upgrading/downgrading GENDER WAYS OF MARKING GENDER DISTINCTIONS LEXICAL: suppletion MORPHOLOGICAL: suffixation, compounding -er/-ess; -or/-ette/trix; [N+N], [pron+N], [Proper Name+N] CASE The unmarked (common) case vs. The marked (genitive) case CASE: the Genitive Grammatical markers synthetic analytical CASE: the Genitive English has more than one kind of POSSESSIVE construction, as in the cover of the book vs. the book cover vs. the book's cover Choice of Genitive markers ‘s of personal names Ns denoting animates (‘lower animals’) personal count Ns Ns denoting inanimates Ns denoting animates (‘higher animals’) free variation Synthetic vs. Analytical genitive cf. HOLLYWOOD’S STUDIOS ARE EMPTY THE STUDIOS OF HOLLYWOOD ARE EMPTY Inflation is profoundly difficult to fight. Liz Truss’s political collapse is proof of that. The exact details of the princess’s condition have not been revealed but the Palace said previously it was not cancer-related, and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private. Types of Genitive (cf. Quirk et al. 1985, 1987) possessive G partitive G (+ G of gradation) subjective G descriptive G objective G G of origin G of measure G of attribute cf. John’s books John’s murder a painting of John Other categorizations (cf. Ștefănescu 1988; Curme 1963) implicit G: e.g., father concerns, a ten-minute break, the sea temperature, mountain top uninflected G: e.g., sun-rise, horseback, snowfall Other categorizations (cf. Ștefănescu 1988; Curme 1963) The Genitive of Material or Composition , which denotes that of which something consists: a swarm of bees, a group of children The Appositive Genitive , which explains the preceding governing noun: the city of London, the island of Great Britain within the Partitive Genitive, the genitive of gradation: the book of books, a linguists’s linguist Other categorizations (cf. CG) 1) [the tree]’s branches 2) [the tree that we cut down]’s branches HEAD GENITIVE vs. PHRASAL GENITIVE Constructions with the Genitive The group/embedded G (cf. the PHRASAL G) e.g., somebody else’s house in a month or two’s time the man I saw yesterday’s hat cf. Mary and John’s kids/ Mary’s and John’s kids We don’t know what could go through a person who could do that’s mind  The elliptic/independent G e.g., This book is not mine. It is Tom’s (Ø) His memory is like an elephant’s (Ø)  The local Genitive o formal residence: e.g. at John’s o public institutions/buildings: e.g. St. Paul’s o places where business is conducted: e.g. the dentist’s, the hairdresser’s  The double G/post-genitive e.g. a friend of John’s a play of Shakespeare’s