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" <hstahlkTo join or leave this LISTSERV
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