ELEMENTS OF MORPHOLOGY

ELEMENTS OF MORPHOLOGY:
§ words belong to different classes = word classes / parts of speech (slovní druhy)

Divided on the meaning they carry
a) lexical
b) grammatical
§ compounds words to structure
§ some words have predominantly lexical meaning and grammatical is added
§ conjunctions have predominantly grammatical meaning
§ articles have only grammatical meaning

Possibility of new members entering the word class
opened word classes
new members can enter the language
nouns – blurb, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, interjections
closed word classes
no new members
pronouns, numerals, auxiliary and modal verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, particles, articles

conversion
a word belonging to a particular word class can belong to any other class (kick, work)
extremely frequent in English; not in Czech

The reference of word classes
§ relationship between linguistic form and the item of reality

Recognized word classes

Nouns
§ refer to objects of reality
Pronouns
§ refer to entities but indirectly, in the given context
§ refer to relationship (possessive pronouns)
§ refer to entities general in their character (everybody)
Numerals
§ refer to quantities of the reference of nouns
Adjectives
§ refer to qualities, features, classes of entities referred to nouns
Verbs
§ refer to processes (activities, events – rain, states – stand)
Adverbs
§ refer to circumstances and manners – hard
§ related to the reference of nouns
§ related to activities, events and states in processes referred to the verb
Prepositions
§ express temporal, abstract and special relationship
Conjunctions
§ grammatical character
§ refer to links among linking elements
and – content of this link is different from but
Particles
not, to, yes, no, oh, well and adverbial particle in phrasal verbs
yes, no, oh and well are considered to be adverbs in some grammars
Articles / determinants
§ only grammatical
Interjections vocalization of human emotions