It is of some interest that the word "chair" is one of those nouns named for its function. It has the function built into its semantics. So it is with "noun," "verb," etc. The parts of speech have their typical grammatical function built into their names. I think it is instructive to point out the various semantic aspects or dimensions by which a class of things gets a name. Often it is by its shape, e.g., drop, pile, pole; sometimes by size, e.g., dwarf, giant, planet; sometimes by other characteristics. We often encourage our students to use words in new ways, and as poets we play with the semantics. Some radicals successfully play with syntax, which can be dangerous. It always seems to involve messing around with grammatical functions. As one time inovations become conventional our grammar changes. Parts of speech split into more specialized categories according to their typical functions. Word forms shift into other uses and other parts of speech. It is no small challenge to try to keep up with it all.
I'm learning a lot from this discussion (as always), so I'll just make a tiny contribution: my own favorite analogy of form/function, similar to Joanna's except possible to physically demonstrate in the classroom:
If I sit on the table, does that make it a chair? No, but I'm using it as a chair. What if I were to stand on it--does that make it a footstool? etc.
If I'm feeling particularly inspired, I can talk about sitting/standing on other objects that are more or less suitable for those functions.
Beth
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[log in to unmask] 3/7/2005 7:23:45 PM >>>
My favorite analogy for form vs. function is draught animals. You have a
function: pulling a wagon or plow. You have various 'forms': species of
animals. Several animal species are suited to pulling things thanks to
their strength and their willingness to take direction: mules, horses,
oxen, water buffalo ... You harness one of these animals into the traces
of a wagon or plow, and it performs the function.
If you usually use a mule and it dies, and you buy an ox, the ox does
not turn into a mule when it is put into the traces. It stays an ox, but
performs the same function that the mule did.
With respect to grammar: In phrase structure, you have roles such as
modifier and head. If the head is a noun, a number of forms can modify
it in pre-noun position:
ADJ: a clever child
Present participle: a sleeping child
Past participle: a disappointed child
Noun: a ghost child (or ghost ship)
The function of noun modification is just that, a function. The kind of
word that carries out that function varies. In spite of the many
teachers who will fight to the death over it, a noun that modifies a
noun does not become an adjective. It remains a noun, but carries out an
adjectival function: modifying a noun. (One might see this as a merely
terminological dispute -- how "adjective" is defined -- but there are
principled reasons for keeping form and function distinct.)
The same goes for clause roles. A clause (by my definition) has a
subject. Various 'species' can fill the subject slot:
Noun phrase: Her lies were obvious.
Gerund phrase: Janet's lying to her children was stupid.
Clause: That she was lying was obvious.
For-to infinitive: For her to lie was stupid.
To-infinitive: To lie is stupid.
Nonfinite clause: Janet lying is something I wouldn't want
to see happen.
Prepositional phrase: Under the bed is a good place to store this
box.
(This is not the same as "Under the bed there is a good place to store
this box". The place for storing the box is "under the bed" in general,
not a specfic part of the space under the bed, which is the "there is"
reading.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johanna Rubba Associate Professor, Linguistics
English Department, California Polytechnic State University
One Grand Avenue * San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Tel. (805)-756-2184 * Fax: (805)-756-6374 * Dept. Phone. 756-2596
* E-mail:
[log in to unmask] * Home page:
http://www.cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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