The Adjective

1. Definition.

2. Degrees of comparison.

3. Substantivization of adj-s.

4. Adjectivization of nouns.

1. Definition.

N. Rayevskaya defines an adjective as a word which expresses the attributes of substances (good, young, easy, soft, wooden). As a class of lexical words adjectives are identified by their ability to fill the position between noun-determiner and noun and the position after a copula-verb and a qualifier.

M. Blokh gives the following definition: the adjective expresses the categorial semantics of property of a substance. It means that each adjective used in the text presupposes relation to some noun the property of whose referent it denotes, such as its material, colour, dimensions, position, state, and other characteristics both permanent and temporary. It follows from this that, unlike nouns, adjectives do not possess a full nominative value. Indeed, words like long, hospitable, fragrant can not effect any self-dependent nominations; as units of informative sequences they exist only in collocations showing what is long, who is hospitable, what is fragrant.

As is known, adj. has neither number, nor case, nor gender distinctions. Some adj-s have degrees of comparison, which make part of morphological system of a language.

In most cases we recognize an adj. as such in ME only by taking into account semantic and syntactical phenomena. But for certain adj-s, derivative suffixes are significant too (-like “ghostlike”, -less “useless”). However suffix may also make part of a word belonging to another part of speech (-ful in adj-s “beautiful”, “useful”, “meaningful” but also in nouns “spoonful”, “mouthful”, “helpful” etc.).

2. Degrees of comparison.

B. Ilyish states that the only morphological problem concerning adj-s is that of degrees of comparison. And the first question which arises here is, how many degrees of comparison has the English adj. If we take, for example the three forms of an English adj.: large, larger (the)largest, shall we say that all three of them are degrees of comparison? In that case we ought to term them positive, comparative, and superlative. Or shall we say that only the latter two are degrees of comparison (comparative and superlative), whereas the first (large) does not express any idea of comparison and is therefore not a degree of comparison at all? Now, if we define a degree of comparison as a from expressing comparison of one object or objects with another in respect of a certain property, it would seem that the first of the three forms (large) should not be included, as it does not express any comparison larger, (the)largest, and a form standing apart, coinciding with the stem from which the degrees of comparison are formed, and which may be described as the basic form.

Considered in meaning, adj-s fall into two large groups: qualitative adj-s and relative adj-s. Qualitative adj-s denote qualities of size, shape, colour, etc. which an object may posses in various degrees. Qualitative adj-s have degrees of comparison. Relative adj-s express qualities which characterize an object through its relation to another object: wooden tables – tables made of wood, woolen gloves – gloves made of wool; rural, industrial, etc.

It is known that not every adj. has degrees of comparison. This may depend on two factors. One of them is not grammatical, but semantic. Since degrees of comparison express a difference of degree in the same property, only those adj-s admit of degrees of comparison which denote properties capable of appearing in different degrees. Thus, for example, adj-s middle, blind, dead has no degrees of comparison. However this should not be taken too absolutely.

A more complex problem in the sphere of degrees of comparison is that of the formations more difficult, (the)most difficult. Is more difficult an analytical comparative degree of the adj. difficult? In that case the word more would be an auxiliary word serving to make up that analytical form, and the phrase would belong to the spere of morphology. Or is more difficult a free phrase, not different in its essential character from the phrase very difficult or somewhat difficult? In that case the adj. difficult would have no degrees of comparison at all (forming degrees of comparison of this adj. by means of the inflections -er, -est is impossible), and the whole phrase would be a syntactical formation. Until recently the traditional view was that phrases of this type were analytical degrees of comparison. However, resently the view has been put forward that they do not essentially differ from phrases of the type very difficult, which nobody would treat as analytical forms.

As is known a few adj-s do not form degrees of comparison by means of inflections. Their degrees of comparison are derived from a different root (good, better, best, etc.)