What are the functions of the adjectives? List, examples of use in speech

Parts of speech - a well-coordinated mechanism, in which there is not a single superfluous element. Surprisingly, in every language this mechanism is arranged in its own way. What can be expressed in one language in two or three words, in another language, will require the construction of a rather complex sentence. That is why it is extremely important to learn foreign languages not to go to grammar after sleeves, but to think about every rule, because there are no empty and meaningless ones among them.

The adjective is one of the key parts of speech, giving people the opportunity to clearly describe the world. However, it also has its own nuances in different languages of the world. This is the structure, the place in the sentence, and the coordination with other parts of speech, and, of course, the functions that are placed on the adjective. In this article, we will consider and compare the functions of this part of speech in some European languages.

Common Properties

So, what are the characteristics of adjectives? The list is large enough.

First of all, the adjective denotes the non-process characteristic of the object. This means that the permanent property of a living or non-living thing is described (a true friend, a cozy house). Nonprocedural signs are also denoted by adverbs, only these attributes already refer not to the object, but to the action (to run quickly, beautifully to draw).

If the adjective is directly related to the noun, it must be able to adapt to its "boss". In different languages, nouns have different categories: number, gender, case, declension. All these categories take on their adjectives - the list of categories for them looks exactly the same.

Interrelationships

Also the adjectives are closely related to other parts of speech, penetrating each other and making richer. This connection is clearly manifested with pronouns and numerals. At the junction of these parts of speech in due time and there were ordinal numerals, answering the question "which of the account?", As well as the relative and interrogative pronouns "which" and "which." It is worthwhile singling out the subject describing the subject through action, the participle, to which verbs and adjectives were given birth. The list of these forms is very large (a floating ship, a creeping tiger). Communion also agrees with the subject and provides its procedural attribute.

Adjective transformations

The secondary nature of the name of the adjective is emphasized by the way it is formed. Most often it is formed from nouns, focusing on some key property or attribute. So, the berry of raspberries gave us a crimson color, and the corner - an angular gait. Adjectives that indicate an object's belonging to someone are the most striking example of the close connection of this part of speech with nouns. This flexibility is distinguished by the Russian language, where possessive adjectives are formed often: the book of the grandfather - grandfather's book.

In English and German there are no such forms. In the English grandad's book, the possession of the grandad is indicated by the possessive case of the grandad's noun. In German there is an almost identical simplified form, which is used with proper names: Annas Auto. However, most often this role is performed by a special genitive: das Buch des Grossvaters, with the subject in the first place, and not its owner.

English is famous for conversion - a complete transition of one part of speech to another without visible changes. Conversions and adjectives are subject - wet (wet) can easily become a noun with the meaning of "moisture". And slim in the meaning of "slender" in a certain context will become the verb "slender".

In German, a similar mechanism turns an adjective into an abstract noun. Schwarz in the meaning "dark" with the addition of the article will acquire the meaning of "darkness". Also, a conversion is possible here when naming living beings with a sign called a producing adjective, der Irre - "crazy", der Taube - "deaf". The addition of the article to the adjective works in French: Le ciel est bleu (adjective); Le bleu (noun) du ciel. The syntactic function in bleu its place in the sentence, as well as the availability of the article, gives reason to consider le leu as a noun. In this noun le bleu, except for the main meaning (the color designation is blue, blue), has others, for example: work clothes, a blue shirt, a beginner, a bruise, a blue eye.

Borrowing Adjectives

There are several types of borrowing foreign adjectives, depending on the degree of their adaptation to the realities of the host language. In connection with this, several types can be distinguished:

• Full tracing - the word does not undergo any changes, does not accept the system of declension of the language. Typically, this refers to specific terms denoting the style (retro, rococo), as well as complex color shades (marsala, indigo).
• The suffixation is the most voluminous group of borrowed adjectives. An interesting fact is that analogues in the receiving language and foreign suffixes of adjectives are also acquired . Their list is large enough. The French suffixes -aire, -ique and -if are mutated into -ar- and supplemented by the natural suffix -num. Also popular is the suffix -ic: legendaire - legendary; Diplomatique - diplomatic. The Greek suffix -ik in Russian is transformed into -icual, -ic: hygienic, photogenic, heroic.

Great and powerful adjectives

The list of adjectives of the Russian language is very great due to the word-formation potential of this part of speech.

The function of adjectives in a sentence is either a definition (He reads a good book) or a part of a compound predicate (I'm very energetic today). In the first case, the adjective is placed before the noun, in the second - after it.

By functions and derivational potential, it is possible to divide all adjectives. The list consists of three items:

1. Qualitative - indicating an immediate sign that can be felt by the senses (red, loud, salty). Such adjectives vary according to the degrees of comparison (louder - the loudest), and can also have a short form (important, severe). If there is a need to strengthen the meaning, the adjective can be repeated: the blue-blue sky. Adjectives and abstract nouns are formed from qualitative adjectives : beautiful - beautiful - beauty.
2. Relative - connecting the described object with another object or concept (aluminum - made of aluminum, sewing - designed for sewing). They have neither degrees of comparison, nor short form, nor can they form adverbs.
3. Possessive - indicate belonging to someone (person or animal) - grandfather's tobacco, hare cabbage.

Sometimes it is possible to transfer the name of the adjective from the relative category to a qualitative one. In this case, the meaning also changes: fox tail - fox smile (meaning: tricky, lying).

An important characteristic of the Russian adjectives is the ability to decline - change in gender, number and case in accordance with the governing noun (brick house - brick wall - brick pillars).

Language of Shakespeare

There are some features that, unlike Russians, do not have English adjectives. Their list is small, but sufficient.

Unlike Russians, English adjectives are completely unchangeable. Red fox, red flowers, red wall - in all these word combinations the word "red" remains as is, regardless of the number and type of the noun.

Qualitative and relative adjectives are distinguished in English. The list of their features is almost the same as in Russian, except for one fact - English adjectives do not have a short form.

Also, the adjective can go into an abstract noun (the mysterious - something mysterious). Sick (sick) will add the article to the sick (patients, patients). As in Russian, the English adjective in the role of definition will precede the noun (an empty house), and in the role of the predicate - to conclude it (The house is empty).

The reasons for the lack of possessive adjectives have already been discussed.

The Goethe Language

A lot of similarities have English and German adjectives - the list of their features is almost identical. However, there is one serious difference, which unites German adjectives with Russians, is the ability to decline. Ein billiger Haus - "cheap house" in the plural becomes billige Häuser. Endings change the gender, number and case of the adjective (guten Kindes - good child, gutem Kind - good child, guten Kind - good child).

Depending on whether it is a particular or a random object, adjectives tend to be weak (der gute Vater - this good father), strong (guter Vater - good father) or mixed (ein guter Vater - some good father) type.

Language of love

Much in common with the German have French adjectives - a list of similarities is sufficient. They vary by birth (Il est joli - it's beautiful, elle est jolie - it's beautiful) and by numbers (Le livre intéressant - an interesting book, les livres intéressants - interesting books), do not have a declension. Also they vary depending on the degree of comparison (Grand - Plus grand - Le plus grand).

An interesting feature of the French adjectives is the ability to change the meaning depending on whether they are before the noun or after it. Un homme brave is a brave man, while un brave homme is a nice person.

Language of tranquility

The list of adjectives in Finnish is very large and differs in complexity. As in Russian, adjectives are consistent with the noun in number and case (and all of them in Finnish from 14 to 16).

Some adjectives do not change by case:

Eri - different;

Viime - the past;

Ensi - the next;

Koko - whole.

The adjective can also stand before the designated word: kaunis talo - a beautiful house; And after it - Talo on kaunis. - The house is beautiful. Also there are degrees of comparison (iloinen - cheerful; iloisempi - more fun, more cheerful; iloisin - the most fun, the most fun).

General and Different

So, in all the languages considered, the adjectives fulfill the function of determining the qualities of an object. The coordination with the subject in different languages has its own peculiarities. The list of adjectives in Finnish and in Russian will have both common and distinctive features. The same applies to other languages, despite the proximity of their vocabulary and grammar.