Alfred Nobel University Journal of Philology (Jun 2021)
ON THE CHANGE OF VALUES OF POSTNOMINATIVE APPENDICES IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION IN THE MODERN ENGLISH
Abstract
Article deals with the changes of the meanings of the post nominal adjectives in the process of transformation in the modern English language. On the basis of the linguoculturological approach and the method of linguistic analysis, the characteristic features of the change in the meanings of post-nominative adjectives in the English language have been revealed. In the English language the adjectives can perform the function of predicative. For the semantics of the adjectives which have the predicative function, these adjectives are characterized by inner qualitative diversity. Mainly, qualitative adjectives refer to classical predication and denote the feature of the object directly. Such adjectives have more features of predication. The predicative sign of the adjective, the presence of a connotation of subjective assessment determines its semantics and use. There are differences between the constructions used in the predicate function in phrases that perform the function of the subject and in the altered form of word phrases related attributively and predicatively. The predicative relation is the immunest form of syntactic connection and in predicative connectives the structural restriction in comparison with attributive constructions is extremely limited. Adjectives as predicative words do not have denotation and reference, they have no denoter, there is a signification. Basing on their indicative characteristics, it is possible to present all the possible semantic features. For the English language it is characteristic the use of the attribute before the defined word. The development from a special sign of thought to a general concept is characteristic for the whole structure of the English language; it is even possible to observe it in word formation. In most cases, taking into account the use of the adjective in the function of an attribute, the terms like postpositional (post nominal) and prepositional (prenominal) adjectives are used. The reasons for the change in the position of adjectives should be sought not always in the nature of the adjective, but in the degree to which it determines its referent. The semes that make up the meaning of the word are at different levels and are more or less stable. In adjectives, the nuclear seme, or subseme, is always found next to the differential seme. In other words, the adjective cannot be combined with nouns in all semantic groups. When an adjective is combined with a noun, a background is formed that allows or prevents the actualization of a particular seme. This causes the activation of a specific seme associated with the semantics of the given name in combination with the given name. Such semes are reflected in the join semantics. The opposite can also be said. The adjective itself chooses the noun for word formation. After all, the same adjective behaves differently in relation to transformation into different attributive complexes. In our opinion, adjectives act as an important restrictive informative element at the content level
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