Лекции по теоретической грамматике английского языка для студентов

 
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
.

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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, moderately, 
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
.

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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.