Morphological, Syntactic Change, and Grammaticalization
Morphological Change, Syntactic Change, Grammaticalization
Morphological Change
Morphological Typology
Languages can be classified typologically, according to their characteristics:
- Isolating or analytic
- Agglutinating or agglutinative
- Inflectional or inflecting
Isolating languages:
- One (free) morpheme per word
- Words do not use affixes
- Word order is very important.
- Chinese júzi wo chi le “orange I eat past”
Agglutinative languages:
- A word may contain several morphemes (a root and a number of affixes). They
Adjective Phrases and Adjectives: Structure, Functions, and Types
Adjectival Phrase: Structure and Functions
Constituents of the Adjective Phrase
The adjective phrase (AdjP) is a phrase whose core is an adjective. This core can have two types of modifiers:
- Specifiers: Usually adverbs of quantity that express the degree or intensity of the adjective.
- Complements: Prepositional phrases that modify the meaning of the adjective.
Functions of the Adjective Phrase
Adjective phrases can function as:
- Complements within a noun phrase.
- Attributes in a copular sentence (with verbs
Understanding Copula Verbs: Definition and Examples
Understanding Copula Verbs
A copula (from the Latin copula, meaning ‘loop’ or ‘link’) is a type of verb used in some languages to build what is called nominal predication. This identifies a sentential subject as a member of a class given by a complementary semantic attribute (e.g., my father is a doctor). Although it doesn’t usually express an action or condition, it serves to equalize the subject and predicate, representing a state or quality of the subject.
Common Linking Verbs
The most common linking
Read MoreUnderstanding Expository Texts: Structure & Language
Expository Texts: A Deep Dive
An expository text objectively explains a topic, aiming to impart new knowledge. Its purpose is purely informative, prioritizing the referential function.
Classification by Receptor
Expository texts can be used in both spoken language (spontaneous or planned) and written language. The specific form varies depending on the sender’s intention and the receiver’s level of expertise.
- Informative Expository: Aims to inform a broad audience clearly and simply about a topic of
Text Properties and Linguistic Elements
Text Properties
Adaptation: Adaptation refers to ownership, selection, and linguistic properties most appropriate to the communication situation. It’s how well the text fits the specific context.
Consistency: Consistency is the property that allows a text to be interpreted as a single unit of information, where all elements relate to each other to create a global meaning. For a text to be consistent, it must also be appropriate for the situation and have cohesive elements.
Cohesion: Cohesion is the
Read MoreUnderstanding Figures of Speech: A Comprehensive List
Literary Devices and Rhetorical Terms
Alliteration. Repeating the same sound in two or more words.
Anadiplosis. The final word is repeated at the beginning of the next clause.
Anaphora and Epiphora. Repeating one or more words at the beginning (anaphora) or end (epiphora) in successive clauses.
Bimembración. A clause is divided into two parts (or three, called a tricolon) with the same grammatical structure.
Derivation. Use of two or more words coming from the same root.
Enumeration. Construction sequence
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