lecture 9 第九讲 词类

I persuaded her to be pretty. ×
Most adjectives are gradable, whose gradability is manifested through the forms of comparison and through modification by intensifiers(强调词）. [careful;witty;patient] The few non-gradable ones include sone denominal adjectives that denote classification or provenance [atomic scientist; Chinese carpet]; some other adjectives, such as perfect,excellent, extreme, are also non-gradable because their lexical meanings have already denoted a high or extreme degree.
With still other adjetives, their position in the noun phrase is determined by the noun they modify. the involved/concerned/interested party= the party involved/concerned/interested the people involved/concerned/interested √ the involved/concerned/interested people×
Two forms entirely different in meaning
He is working hard. He could hardly see anything.
As…as
As+adj/adv+as
as bright as Bob not as/so bright as Bob The girl was as bright as she was beautiful. The swimming pool isn’t as wide as that one is long.
When the headword is a some-/any-/nocompound, adjectives must be used as postmoifiers. With some adjectives, a pre-head or posthead position does not make any difference in meaning. It’s the only possible solution.= It’s the only solution possible. But with some other adj, different positions give different meanings. the members present 在场的 the present members 现在的
When two or more premodifying adjectives cooccur on the same level, they are usually coordinated in the normal order of shorter members preceding the longer. It was a rainy,windy,freezing day. When two or more premodifying adjectives appear on different levels, the normal order: (determiner)-adj denoting the speakers’ evaluation-adj denoting size,shape,age-adj denoting color-adj denoting nationality,origin,material-adj denoting use/purpose-noun head an interesting little red French oil painting
as much/many+noun +as-clause
You can take as much butter as you need.
as+adj+noun phrase+as-clause
Tom is as efficient a worker as Jack. Tom is a worker as efficient as Jack. I don’t smoke cigarettes as expensive as these. I don’t smoke as expensive cigarettes as these. 罕
Most adjctives can be used both as modifier in a noun phrase and as subject/object complement, which thus are labelled “central adjectives”. Peripheral adjectives refer to the few which cannot satisfy both these requirements.For instance, the adj. Utter can only function as premodifier, while asleep can only be used as complement. This is utter nonsense. ≠The nonsense is utter. The child is asleep. ≠This is an aslech
Outline
Classification of Adjectives
Premodifying and postmodifying Adj. Predicative adjectives Adverbs with or without –ly Comparative constructions Contrast between comparative constructions
Stative adjectives describe the static characteristics of animate or inanimate objects, and most adjectives are stative. [tall;short;big;small] Dynamic adjectives describe the dynamic properties of people or things. [ambitious;careful;witty]
There are two groups of predicatives
Adj denoting health conditions: well/ ill Adj with a- as prefix: alike/alone/alive
Predicative adj cannot be placed before a noun as premodifier, but they can be used when they are themselves modified by an adverb.
Don’t talk so loud/loudly.
Two forms different or slightly different in meaning
This knife cuts cleanly(干净利落地）. The bullet went clean through his chest. (径直地)
an asleep child × a fast asleep child√
Some adjs have parallel synonyms that can be freely used both as complement and as premodifier.
alike=similar alone=lonely/solitary alive=live/living
More…than
Negation: less…than/not so(as) …as More/less/fewer+noun+than-clause
I have done more work than he.
Comparative adj+noun+than-clause
John is a more efficient worker than Jack. John is a worker more efficient than Jack.
Dynamic adjectives can go with the progressive aspect of the verb be, while stative adjectives cannot; She is being witty. √ She is being tall. × Dynamic adjectives can co-occur with imperative be, while stative adjectives cannot; Be patient/careful. √ Be pretty. × Dynamic adjectives can occur in causative constructions in which it is impossible to use stative adjectives. I persuaded her to be generous. √