Active syntactic valency (из презентации)

defined by a meaning component of a word

• better: Standard of comparison (better than me)

• is leaving: N (Subject) (John is leaving)

• beautiful: Adv (very beautiful)

Passive syntactic valency

defined by a Part of speech a word belongs to

• better: V (works better)

• is leaving: C (that he is leaving)

• beautiful: N (a beautiful girl)

The realization of the aptness of the word to appear in various combinations is called combinability. In other words it’s the actual ability of word to combine in speech.

Sintactical combinability is the ability of words to appear in certain grammatical structure. EG: an adjective performs the function of an attribute when it combines with the noun. (a good student.)

In a word combination there is always the head-word (or key-word) which makes it possible to classify the word-groups. EG: a brave-man (adj.+ N.), to pay money (V+N), to depend on smb. (V+Preposition+Pronoun).

Lexical combinability is the ability of words to combine in speech according to lexical meaning. The lows of lexical combinability are often explained by the complex character of the lexical semantic system of the language. EG: In Russian we can say: -Потуши свет/мясо. In eng. – to switch off; - to stew meat.

Argument realisation in Russian (относится к сочетаемости в русском, из презентации)

• Иван вошёл и поздоровался.

• Вошёл.

• – Саша купил гвозди? – Да, купил.

• Саша отправил письмо.

• Саша отправил.

• Отправил письмо.

Argument realisation in English (относится к сочетаемости в английском, из презентации)

• He opened the door and came in.

• *Came in. (combinability is not correct)

• – Has John bought nails? – *Yes, bought. (combinability is not correct)

• John sent the letter.

• *Sent the letter. (combinability is not correct)

• *John sent. (combinability is not correct)

 

#8 English phraseology.

A word-combination (word-group) is a combination of two or more words organize according to the norms of the language. There are three types of word-groups:

1) free

2) semi-free (устойчивые)

3) phraseological units

They are diff. structurally and semantically.

Free word combinations are structurally and semantically unstable. EG: a good man; a good and reliable man; a better man

Free word combinations may be describe from the following points of view:

1) In terms of conceptual combinability word groups are extra-linguistically determing. If objects are related the words denoting these things are also connective. We can say: tasty dish, tasty cake, but we can’t say tasty lexicology.

2) In terms of social-linguistic combinability, word groups are determing by customs and traditional way of life and other cultural factors of the language community. EG: “white” in our country, it is a color, which has a festive meaning – bride’s dress in India it’s a color of mourning

3) In terms of inner linguistic combinability, this group can be deviated and non-deviated EG: red flower – красный цветок, red tape – волокита; the first is not-deviated, the meaning is clear from the meaning of compounds. The second is non-deviated

Fixed (semi-free) combinations of words are structurally and semantic stable and the meaning is understood from the meanings of the components. That means there is no transference of meaning of this combinations. EG: a man of business; a man of letters (писатель).

Phrasiological units are structurally and semantically stable and they have transferred meaning. EG: a man of the wheel (руководитель).

Phraseological units, or idioms, represent the most picturesque, colorful and expressive part of the language’s vocabulary.

The features: 1. lack of semantic motivation 2. Lexical & grammatical stability

(из презентации)

Types of Context

• Variable

• Constant

• Fixed (regularly repeated)

Types Of Variable Context

Lexical context: Words are used in certain lexical contexts, i.e. in combinations with other words. E.g. the noun question is often combined with such adjectives as vital, pressing, urgent, delicate, etc.

1. blind cat, blind horse, blind mouse

2. blind fury, blind passion, rage, panic, hatred

3. blind battle, blind attack, blind choice

4. blind tube, blind alley, blind valley

5. blind arch, blind door, blind wall, blind hedge

Syntactic context:

Words are also used in grammatical (syntactic) contexts. The minimal grammatical context in which the words are used to form word-groups is usually described as the pattern of the word-group. E.g., the adjective heavy can be followed by a noun (A+N) – heavy food, heavy storm, heavy box, heavy eater. But we cannot say «heavy cheese» or «heavy to lift, to carry», etc.

The aptness of a word to appear in specific grammatical (or rather syntactical) structures is termed grammatical valency.