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Exploring Language and Word Classes

Nov 10, 2024

Ling 131: Language & Style - Topic 2 (Session A)

Session Overview

  • (Semi) Automatic poetry
  • Introducing word classes
  • Manipulating word classes
    • Changing word class via affixation
    • Changing word class via functional conversion
  • New words for old
  • Word class problems
  • Word class checklist

Open Class Words

  • Constitute about 90% of personal vocabularies
  • New words can be coined
  • Examples include:
    • Compound words: blackbox
    • Morpheme combinations: microscope - microchip

Closed Class Words

  • Finite in number
  • Serve grammatical or functional purposes
  • Types include:
    • Determiner (d): the, a, this
    • Pronoun (pn): you, me, she
    • Preposition (p): in, of, on
    • Conjunction (cj): and, but, or
    • Auxiliary Verb (aux): can, will, may
    • Enumerator (e): one, three, first
    • Interjection (ij): oh, ah, ugh

Questions for Identifying Word Class

  1. Meaning: What does it refer to or express?
  2. Function: Purpose or role in a phrase/sentence
  3. Form: Morphological structure

Identifying Open Class Words

Nouns (N)

  • Meaning: Refer to concrete or abstract phenomena
  • Function: Headword in a noun phrase
  • Form: Varied; inflections like singular/plural

Verbs (V)

  • Meaning: Actions, processes, states
  • Function: Central in a sentence
  • Form: Characteristic inflections; regular and irregular forms
    • Forms: Infinitive, Present, Past, Present Participle, Past Participle

Adjectives (Aj)

  • Meaning: Quality or property of a noun
  • Function: Modifies a noun
  • Form: Characteristic inflections; gradable

Adverbs (Av)

  • Meaning: Specify circumstances of actions
  • Function: Modifies verbs, adjectives
  • Form: Often end in '-ly'; can be inflected like adjectives

Identifying Closed Class Words

  • Function within phrases/sentences

Types:

  • Determiners: Introduce noun phrases
  • Pronouns: Stand for nouns
  • Prepositions: Express relations
  • Conjunctions: Link phrases/clauses
  • Auxiliary Verbs: Assist main verbs
  • Enumerators: Cardinal and ordinal numbers
  • Interjections: Express feelings, attitudes

Further Reading

  • English Grammar For Today by Leech, G., M. Deuchar, and R. Hoogenraad (1982)