Shrnutí - morfologie

Non-gradable adjectives do not normally have comparative and superlative forms:

• freezing, more freezing, the most freezing

• dead, deader, the deadest

• nuclear, more nuclear, the most nuclear

Often, non-gradable adjectives are used alone:

• It was freezing outside.

• The dog was dead.

• He is investing in nuclear energy.

- traditional definition: a word used to modify a verb, an adjective or another adverb

Formal characteristics of adverbs:

• comparison

• adverbial derivational suffixes: -ly, -wise, -wards

• position: do not occur in positions typically occupied by adjectives, but otherwise relatively movable in the sentence

Function:

- (parts of) adverbials – modify verbs

the material washed easily, it rained heavily

- modify adjectives, adverbs or sometimes even nouns

a dimly visible object, too soon, a stay abroad, on the way back

- sentence modifiers: modify the whole sentence

Curiously, this work remained unnoticed until quite recently. This analysis is by no means exhaustive. Nevertheless, it can serve as an illustration of the procedure in question.

Kinds of adverbs

manner - How? intensifiers

place - Where? focus adv.

time - When? viewpoint adv.

frequency - How often? connectives

degree - To what extent?

Comparison of adverbs:

"-ly" adjectives and equivalent adverbial forms:

brotherly, sisterly, cowardly, elderly, (un)friendly, heavenly, (un)likely, lively, sickly, silly, ugly, deadly, early, hourly, weekly, monthly, quarterly…

- they mainly describe people's qualities or time frequencies

- cannot form corresponding adverbs by adding -ly suffix - special adverbial phrase:

in a ……way/manner/fashion

Adjectives/adverbs: same form and meaning: fast, hard ….

Adverbs with two forms used in the same way: cheap/ly, clean/ly, ….. clear, close, dear, fair, fine, firm, first, loud, quick, quiet, slow, thin

forms without –ly are informal and occur only in the postverbal position: you are walking too slow/quick – he slowly/quickly walked away

Adverbs with two forms used in different ways: hard/hardly, just/justly, near/nearly, last/lastly…

Position: -after the verb

• after the object or adverb particle

• (sometimes) after the subject, if we want to emphasize it: Gillian angrily slammed …

! well, badly: always at the end of a sentence

change of position can result in change in emphasis and meaning: bravely, cleverly, cruelly, foolishly, kindly, secretly

He foolishly locked himself out. = it was foolish of him

He behaved foolishly at the party. = in a foolish way

You typed this letter very badly.(manner)

We very badly need a new typewriter.(intensifier)

You should always speak naturally.

Naturally, I'll accept the invitation.(viewpoint)

b) Adverbs of time

Position: definite time: at the end of a sentence

indefinite time: all positions possible X early, late - at the end of a sentence

still - in negative sentences. - dissatisfaction, surprise: I still haven't heard from her.

• for emphasis can come before aux.: Martha still is in hospital.