Minor Word Classes

Question 1

Define what a pronoun is.

Answer 1

A pronoun is a partly semantically empty word, that requires either an antecedent or context to ‘complete’ it.

Question 2

What are quantifiers?

Answer 2

Quanifiers are a sub-type determiner. They can occur with determiners. (all, Most…)

Question 3

Explicate Aux’s.

Answer 3

Aux’s are verbals that can move to the front of a sentence to form a question. They can be main V’s, or they precede main V’s, but main V’s never precede V’s or aux’s. (have gone) (is running). There can be up to 3 aux’s in a sentence. 1st: modal, 2nd: have, 3rd: be. Have or be can be aux’s or main V’s.
Examples: (will, would, can, could, may, be, do, might, must, shall, should, have)

Question 4

Define the two types of conjunctions; explain the difference.

Answer 4

Coordinate Conjunctions link expressions of the same kind (N&N, VP&VP, S&S). They do NOT move to the front of the sentence to form a DC. include: and, but, or, yet, so, for, nor.

Subordinate Conjunctions links expressions. They can always move to the front of the sentence to form a DC. include: while, as, since, before, after, although, when.

Question 5

What are Prepositions?

Answer 5

Prepositions are words that almost always (but not always) have a meaning of location or direction. in, at, under, from . .. of, despite, for, - no meaning of location or direction.

Question 6

What is the ‘problem’ with some words in the minor class prepositions?

Answer 6

There are some words that seem to be both SC and Prep’s. (since) or (before). they have the same meaning, but two different uses. How can we have two different words (type) but same meaning?

Possible Solutions:
1. Call these sub conj’s prepositions because they can occur before NP’s and sentences.
(before, after, since, until - prep even though they occur in both places.)
2. We can include all SC’s in with the preposition class, because they all occur in front of a NP or a sentence.

Question 7

Explain particles - what is a concern.

Answer 7

Phrases like: look the book up. or look up the book. Include a particle - NOT a prep. They are homonyms - same form but different meanings. Particles can move to the right - prep’s cant.

• they don’t link with the following phrase - so they can’t be moved to the left like a prep.
• they form a phrase with the V.

Question 8

What are Non-grammatical words?

Answer 8

Non-grammatical words serve no grammatical function. Includes words like: please, no, thanks, shit, dude…