Color words are especially interesting in that they serve as both
nouns and adjectives. The fact that you can make them plural tells
us that they are, indeed, nouns. And many adjectives, like smooth,
can become verbs. Here's a definition for a verb based on form: If
it has both an -s and an -ing ending, a word is a verb. And of
course, smooth fits that definition. But it also fits the form
definition of an adjective: can you make it comparative and
superlative? smoother, smoothest. If so, it's an adjective. We can
also say redder and reddest!
So, yes, the form/function concept is an important one.
Martha
>Martha,
>
>Could help me a little further with the form/function distinction.
>
>I'm wondering about a word like "red," which seems to be an
>adjective but also seems to satisfy the tests for a noun:
>
>Many of the reds in Carpaccio's paintings have faded over the years.
>(has a plural form)
>
>The red's intensity drew my eye to the corner of the painting.
>(takes possessive; takes determiner)
>
>But would that mean that "red" in the following sentence is a noun
>in form but functioning as an adjectival?
>
>The red bathrobe was draped over the back of the chair.
>
>
>Another example: the word "smooth." which, at first glance seems to
>be an adjective.
>
>The smooth surface of the river disguised the fact that it was
>flowing rapidly.
>
>But what about when it's used as a verb?
>
>John Edwards smoothed Joe Biden's ruffled feathers.
>
>Is this an adjective used as a verb? Or, does it make more sense to
>say there are two words spelled and pronounced the same--smooth--but
>one is a verb and a different word smooth is an adjective?
>
>
>One more example. How do we decide whether words like "ride" or
>"walk" are nouns that can function as verbs or verbs that can
>function as nouns?
>
>I took two rides on Saturday.
>The ride's ending was a great surprise.
>We ride/rode for hours
>They will ride until the sun sets.
>
>Our walks took place regardless of the weather.
>The walk's purpose was to aid our digestion.
>The teacher walks/walked to work.
>The teacher has walked to class today.
>
>
>Peter Adams
>
>
>On Jan 14, 2008, at 4:33 PM, Martha Kolln wrote:
>
>>Linda & all,
>>
>>The suffix -tion is an exceptionally good clue that a word is a
>>noun. Even Karl's list of -tion verbs can be shown to be nouns as
>>well by making them plural--with the possible exception
>>of apportion. But the list of -tion words made from verbs is huge.
>>In the discussion of noun derivational suffixes in Understanding
>>English Grammar, I list the following from the first few pages of
>>the dictionary: abbreviation, abolition, abortion, abstraction,
>>accommodation, accumulation, accusation, acquisition, action.
>>Every page has them in abundance--verbs that can be turned into
>>nouns with the -ion (or -tion, -ation, etc.) added.
>>
>>And -tion is only one of many such derivational suffixes that
>>identify a word as a noun: Another that was mentioned was -ment.
>>There's also -ance, -al, -ant, -age, -y, -ure, and -er--and more.
>>The concept of "noun" as one of the form classes--along with verbs,
>>adjectives, and adverbs--is an important distinction between the
>>Latin-based "eight parts of speech" and the word classes based on
>>English. All the form classes have distinctive forms that students
>>will come to recognize in a conscious way--and they'll learn to
>>appreciate their inner grammar expertise.
>>
>>And of course, nearly all nouns can function as adjectives. It's
>>important in discussing "parts of speech" to recognize the
>>distinction between form and function. It presents a problem for
>>test takers when they are asked to identify the "part of speech."
>>In a sentence with "the telephone book," for example, the
>>underlined word is functioning as an adjective, but that doesn't
>>make it an adjective; it's still a noun in form.
>>
>>Just some thoughts.
>>
>>Martha
>>
>>
>>>Here's a list (generated from an aspell file) of all the reasonably
>>>common verbs ending in -tion. All were ultimately derived from nouns,
>>>although for some of them (e.g., apportion) the conversion took place
>>>before the word was borrowed.
>>>
>>>It's not a large list, but it does show that the -tion = N rule is too tidy.
>>>
>>>apportion
>>>auction
>>>audition
>>>caption
>>>caution
>>>condition
>>>function
>>>malfunction
>>>mention
>>>motion
>>>partition
>>>petition
>>>portion
>>>position
>>>precondition
>>>proportion
>>>proposition
>>>question
>>>ration
>>>reapportion
>>>recondition
>>>reposition
>>>requisition
>>>sanction
>>>section
>>>station
>>>vacation
>>>
>>>
>>>rbetting wrote:
>>>> Herb,
>>>>
>>>> Comments on noun functions. Does calling nouns used this way
>>>>adjective make
>>>> sense to students? Our linguistic system likes to be able to
>>>>manipulate form
>>>> words into other parts of speech, nouns to verbs and so on. One
>>>>choice that
>>>> appears to be handy is our use of nouns as modifiers, as in "the stocking
>>>> committee planning chart" or "a fan belt compression fitting design plan."
>>>> So we might hear of a "site plan coordination effort currently
>>>>underway." I
>>>> just read about the " 2007 Devils Lake operation summary report document."
>>>> How's this: "The linear realignment task force control system planning
>>>> session." That could apply to grammar study.
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "STAHLKE, HERBERT F" <<mailto:[log in to unmask]>hstahlkTo
>>>>join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
>>>>interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and
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>>>
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