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Adverbs Adverbials

This document discusses adverbs and adverb phrases. It defines adverbs as modifiers of verbs, adjectives, other adverbs and prepositions. Adverbs can indicate time, place, manner, degree and other meanings. They can appear in different positions within sentences, including initially, medially or finally. Adverb phrases are headed by an adverb and may include other modifiers. The classification of adverbs is discussed from both syntactic and semantic perspectives.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
174 views35 pages

Adverbs Adverbials

This document discusses adverbs and adverb phrases. It defines adverbs as modifiers of verbs, adjectives, other adverbs and prepositions. Adverbs can indicate time, place, manner, degree and other meanings. They can appear in different positions within sentences, including initially, medially or finally. Adverb phrases are headed by an adverb and may include other modifiers. The classification of adverbs is discussed from both syntactic and semantic perspectives.
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ADVERBS AND

ADVERB PHRASES

‘I adore adverbs. They are the only qualifications

I really much respect.’ (Henry James)


‘The road to hell is paved with adverbs.’ (Stephen
King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 2000.)
Key points:

• Terminological issues

• Overlaps with other word-classes

• Structure of the AdvP

• Classification: two perspectives

• Position of Advs
ADVERBS & ADVERBIALS:
terminological issues
cf.

It was here
late
noisy
on the table
in the room
where I had left it
cf.

John ran quickly.

John ran quickly downstairs.

John ran quickly downstairs, however.


cf. Huddleston & Pullum (2006)

• situational adjuncts vs speech act related adjuncts:

e.g. (1) Ed spoke frankly about his feelings.


(2) Frankly, this was a waste of time.
cf. Dixon (2005:)

(1) Happily, John has been studying for the examination.

(2) John has been happily studying for the examination.


Overlaps with other lexical classes
 Adjectives

cf.
a hard worker vs. he works hard
an early breakfast we got up early
a light traveller I travel light

cf. speak louder and clearer


easier said than done
Overlaps with other lexical classes
 Syncretic forms (cont.)

adverbs in adjectival function:

to move forward / a forward child


Overlaps with other lexical classes

 Prepositions
cf.

They went in the house.

They went in.


The STRUCTURE of the AdvP

H
modifier complementizer

e.g. very slowly


too late
quite independently of me
Morphology of adverbs

 simple: very, just, so, yet, soon, well, early...

 compound: hereby, moreover, outside, nevertheless,


furthermore, whatever, therein...

 complex: actually, frankly eventually, certainly, shortly,


clockwise, westward, money-wise, aboard, ashore,
aside...
Classification of adverbs

 the syntactic criterion:


 adverb as modifier
 adverb as complement

 the semantic criterion:


 time/space/process/respect/contingency/modality/d
egree

cf. Quirk et al. (1985, 2005)


Classification of adverbs:
the syntactic criterion

1. Adverbs as modifiers...
... of adverbs: very slowly, quite nicely

... of adjectives: a little silly, rather hot

... of prepositions: well within time,


right through the window
... of nouns: the man outside,
the nextdoor neighbours
... of NPs: quite a party, rather a mess,
nearly the last words

... of pronouns: nearly everybody

... of determiners: virtually all the boys,

more than/over/approximately 50 men


Classification of adverbs:
the syntactic criterion
II. Adverbs as complements...

... of prepositions: near here


over here
down there
Classification of adverbs:
the semantic criterion
1. TIME

 position/location: time ‘when’ adverbials

 duration: time span (for/from...to/


till, until, up to/since)

 frequency (definite/indefinite)
II. SPACE

• position/location: here, at home,


on the bed
• direction: westwards, to school, down the hill
• source: from school
• distance: far, a long way, (for) two miles
III. PROCESS

• manner: politely, like me, just as you do

• means: on foot, by plane, through


comparison

• instrument: with a key, using a knife, by


means of a dictionary

• agentive: by John, by rain


IIII. RESPECT

= a more abstract class of advebials, which


basically identify a relevant point of reference
from which the sentence they occur in derives its
truth value
cf.
John helped me with my work
His solution is technically impossible
They talked competently about modern art
V. CONTINGENCY

• cause/reason : because of the rain, out of pity


• purpose: in order to buy a new car, so as to finish
sooner
• result: John hated his job, so he quit
• condition: unless you apologize
• concession: although poor,... with all his faults...
VI. MODALITY
= adverbials which enhance/diminish/
approximate/restrict the truth value or force of a
sentence

cf.
John was definitely/positively happy with his job
John wasn’t happy at all with his job
John was not exactly/probably happy with his job
John was happy only with his job
John alone was happy with his job
VII. DEGREE

= adverbials concerned with the assessement of


gradable constituents in relation to an imaginary
scale (amplification/diminution).

cf.
I like music more than you/more than you do
John helped me a little/a lot with my work
I badly need a coffee

+ -ly adverbs: extremely, sufficiently, increasingly


+ simple adverbs: much, too, quite, very, so
cf. Huddleston & Pullum (2006)

• He sang badly. [MANNER] vs. They wounded him


badly. [DEGREE]

• He will behave typically. [MANNER] vs. This typically


happens after a long draught. [FREQUENCY]

• I cannot think politically. [MANNER] vs. Politically, it was a


disaster. [DOMAIN]
cf. Huddleston & Pullum (2006)

• She explained it clearly. [MANNER] vs. She is clearly a


great asset. [MODAL]

• She smiled happily. [MANNER] vs. Happily, I was able to


get my money back.

• Speech-act related
e.g.: They discussed it frankly. [MANNER] vs. Frankly, it is
a disgrace! [SPEECH-ACT RELATED]
POSITION OF ADVERBIALS

positionally,

FPA MPA EPA


FPA:
• immediately before the subject:
Suddenly, the car pulled off
However, they left the next day
I pressed the button when, all at once,
the screen went black

• immediately before the operator:


Honestly, can we trust John?

Topicalization of adverbials for emphasis/contrast


MPA:
 pre-finite position:
He often goes there
We still want to come
John seldom watches TV

 post-finite position:
He’s often been there
John is always busy
I have sometimes been asked to
help
EPA:
• post-verb position or, if the verb is transitive, after
its object:

She sings well


They went there

John speaks French fluently


I play tennis badly
Sequence of two or more adverbials
 time + time:
We met at 2 p.m. yesterday
I saw the film on Tuesday, last week

 place + place:
John lives in a small village in France
We stayed in a cottage in the mountains

cf.
We stayed in the mountains, in a cottage we rented
from a friend
 place + time:

Can you get here by evening?


I went for a walk in the park before dinner

 place (direction) + time (frequency)+ time (when):

I went to Brussels two times this year


John walked round the park many times before dinner
cf. Quirk et. al. (1985:583)

He really may have injured the man

He may have really injured the man

emphasizer vs. intensifier


cf. Dixon(2005:)

• (1) Happily, John has been studying for the


examination.
• (2) John has been happily studying for the
examination.
cf. Huddleston & Pullum (2006)

• He sang badly. [MANNER] vs. They wounded him


badly. [DEGREE]

• He will behave typically. [MANNER] vs. This typically


happens after a long draught. [FREQUENCY]

• I cannot think politically. [MANNER] vs. Politically, it was a


disaster. [DOMAIN]
cf. Huddleston & Pullum (2006)

• She explained it clearly. [MANNER] vs. She is clearly a


great asset. [MODAL]

• She smiled happily. [MANNER] vs. Happily, I was able to


get my money back.

• Speech-act related
e.g.: They discussed it frankly. [MANNER] vs. Frankly, it is
a disgrace! [SPEECH-ACT RELATED]
cf. Huddleston & Pullum (2006)

cf: (1) Ed spoke frankly about his feelings.

(2) Frankly, this was a waste of time.

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