The Adverb

Semantic features. The adverb is usually defined as a word expressing

either property of an action, or property of another property, or circumstances in

which an action occurs. However, this definition fails to demonstrate the difference

between the adverb and the adjective. To overcome this drawback, we should

define the adverb as a notional word denoting a non-substantive property, that is,

a property of a non-substantive referent. This feature sets the adverb apart from the

adjective which, as already known, denotes a substantive property.

Adverbs are commonly divided into qualitative, quantitative and

circumstantial.

Qualitative adverbs express immediate, inherently non-graded qualities of

actions and other qualities. The typical adverbs of this kind are qualitative adverbs

in -ly.

Quantitative adverbs are specific lexical units of semi-functional nature

expressing quality measure, or gradational evaluation of qualities. They may be

subdivided into several sets:

1. Adverbs of high degree ("intensifiers"): very, quite, entirely, utterly,

highly, greatly, perfectly, absolutely, strongly, considerably, pretty, much.

2. Adverbs of excessive degree (direct and reverse) also belonging to the

broader subclass of intensifiers: too, awfully, tremendously, dreadfully, terrifically.

3. Adverbs of unexpected degree: surprisingly, astonishingly, amazingly.

4. Adverbs of moderate degree: fairly, comparatively, relatively, moderately,

rather.

5. Adverbs of low degree: slightly, a little, a bit.

6. Adverbs of approximate degree: almost, nearly.

7. Adverbs of optimal degree: enough, sufficiently, adequately.

8. Adverbs of inadequate degree: insufficiently, intolerably, unbearably,

ridiculously.

9. Adverbs of under-degree: hardly, scarcely.

Although the degree adverbs are traditionally described under the heading of

"quantitative", in reality they occupy an intermediate position between qualitative

and quantitative words and therefore can be referred to qualitative adverbs. Thus,

the latter are subdivided into qualitative adverbs of full notional value and degree

adverbs – specific functional words.

Circumstantial adverbs are also divided into notional and functional. The

functional circumstantial adverbs are words of pronominal nature. They include

numerical adverbs, adverbs of time, place, manner, cause, consequence. Many of

them are used as syntactic connectives and question-forming words (now, here,

when, where, so, thus, how, why, etc.)

Notional circumstantial adverbs include two basic sets: adverbs of time and

adverbs of place: today, tomorrow, already, ever, never, shortly, recently, seldom,

early, late; homeward, eastward, near, far, outside, ashore, etc.

Just like adjectives, adverbs can be divided into evaluative and specificative,

connected with the categorial expression of comparison. Each adverb subject to

evaluation grading by degree words expresses the category of comparison. Thus,

not only qualitative adverbs are included into the categorial system of comparison.

Morphological features. As to their word-building structure adverbs may

be non-derived, or simple (e.g. here, there, now, then, so, quick, why, how, where,

when, very, rather) and derived (e.g. slowly, sideways, clockwise, homewards,

away, ahead, apart, across). We can also distinguish composite forms and phrasal

forms of the adverb: sometimes, nowhere, anyhow; at least, at most, at last, to and

fro, upside down. A prolific source of adverbs is the adjective: many –ly adverbs

are transformationally related to respective adjectives. The suffix –ly is a typical

marker of the adverb. However, many adverbs related to adjectives may not be

necessarily used with the suffix –ly, e.g. fast, late, hard, high, clean, clear, close,

loud, tight, firm, quick, right, sharp, slow, wide, etc.

Special mention should be made of preposition-adverb like elements which

form a semantic blend with verbs: to give up, to give in, to give out, to give away,

to give over, etc; to set up, to set in, to set forth, to set down, etc.; to get on, to get

off, to get through, to get about, etc. The verb-adverb combination goes by several

names: two-part verbs, composite verbs, phrasal verbs. The verbs in such

combinations are mostly one-syllable words; the most common adverbs are those

denoting place, e.g. in, out, on, off, over, up, down, through, etc. Some of the

adverbs may be separated by objective complements, e.g. Please hand in your

papers. vs. Please hand your papers in. Others are non-separable, e.g. John called

on me. vs. *John called me on.

In verb-adverb combinations the second element may:

a) retain its adverbial properties of showing direction (e.g. to go out, to go

in, to go away);

b) change the aspect of the verb, i.e. mark the completeness of the process

(e.g. to eat – to eat up; to stand – to stand up; to sit – to sit down; to lie – to lie

down; to shave – to shave off; to speak – to speak out);

c) intensify the meaning of the process (e.g. to end – to end up; to finish – to

finish up (off); to cut – to cut off; to talk – to talk away);

d) lose its lexical meaning and form an integral whole, a set expression (e.g.

to fall out ‘to quarrel’; to give in ‘to surrender’; to come off ‘to take place’; to

leave off ‘to stop’; to boil down ‘to be reduced in quantity’).

These combinations have been treated by different scholars in different

ways. Some scholars have treated the second element as a variety of adverbs, as

preposition-like adverbs (A. Smirnitsky, 1959, 376), as a special kind of adverb

called adverbial postpositon (I. E. Anichkov, 1947), as postverbial particles (L.

Kivimдgi et al., 1968: 35), as a special kind of form-word called postpositive (N.

N. Amosova, 1963: 134), a postfix or postpositive affix (Y. Zhluktenko, 1954), a

separate part of speech called postposition (B.A. Ilyish, 1948: 243 – 5). As for B.

Ilyish, he later (1971:148) changed his view arguing that, since the second element

does not indicate the circumstances in which the process takes place, the whole

construction is a phraseological unit: the whole has a meaning different from the

meanings of the components. According to M. Blokh, these elements form a

special functional set of particles based on their functional character. He suggests

the term “post-positives”.

The great variety of interpretations shows the complexity of the problem.

Apparently, the problem requires further research.

Syntactic features. Adverbs are characterized by combinability with verbs,

adjectives and words of adverbial nature. The adverb performs the function of an

adverbial modifier.

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