Lecture 1 Fundamentals of grammar

5. The Adverb
Semantic features. The adverb is usually defined as a word expressing
either property of an action, or property of another property, or circumstances in
which an action occurs. However, this definition fails to demonstrate the difference
between the adverb and the adjective. To overcome this drawback, we should
define the adverb as a notional word denoting a non-substantive property, that is,a property of a non-substantive referent. This feature sets the adverb apart from the adjective which, as already known, denotes a substantive property.
Adverbs are commonly divided into qualitative, quantitative and circumstantial.
Qualitative adverbs express immediate, inherently non-graded qualities of
actions and other qualities. The typical adverbs of this kind are qualitative adverbs
in -ly.
Quantitative adverbs are specific lexical units of semi-functional nature
expressing quality measure, or gradational evaluation of qualities. They may be
subdivided into several sets:
1. Adverbs of high degree ("intensifiers"): very, quite, entirely, utterly,
highly, greatly, perfectly, absolutely, strongly, considerably, pretty, much.
2. Adverbs of excessive degree (direct and reverse) also belonging to the
broader subclass of intensifiers: too, awfully, tremendously, dreadfully, terrifically.
3. Adverbs of unexpected degree: surprisingly, astonishingly, amazingly.
4. Adverbs of moderate degree: fairly, comparatively, relatively, oderately, rather.
5. Adverbs of low degree: slightly, a little, a bit.
6. Adverbs of approximate degree: almost, nearly.
7. Adverbs of optimal degree: enough, sufficiently, adequately.
8. Adverbs of inadequate degree: insufficiently, intolerably, unbearably,ridiculously.
9. Adverbs of under-degree: hardly, scarcely.
Although the degree adverbs are traditionally described under the heading of
"quantitative", in reality they occupy an intermediate position between qualitative
and quantitative words and therefore can be referred to qualitative adverbs. Thus,
the latter are subdivided into qualitative adverbs of full notional value and degree
adverbs – specific functional words.
Circumstantial adverbs are also divided into notional and functional. The
functional circumstantial adverbs are words of pronominal nature. They include
numerical adverbs, adverbs of time, place, manner, cause, consequence. Many of
them are used as syntactic connectives and question-forming words (now, here,
when, where, so, thus, how, why, etc.)
Notional circumstantial adverbs include two basic sets: adverbs of time and
adverbs of place: today, tomorrow, already, ever, never, shortly, recently, seldom,early, late; homeward, eastward, near, far, outside, ashore, etc.
Just like adjectives, adverbs can be divided into evaluative and specificative,
connected with the categorial expression of comparison. Each adverb subject to
evaluation grading by degree words expresses the category of comparison. Thus,
not only qualitative adverbs are included into the categorial system of comparison.