The category of number of nouns. The meaning of the singular and the plural number in Modern English
The cat of № is presented by the opposition sing (grammatically unmarked) & pl (grammatically marked by the morphemes of plurality). The 2 opposed forms denote whether the n denotes one object or more than 1 object. The forms show whether we deal with the grammatical meaning of oneness or more than oneness.Formally, the category of number is expressed by 2 morphemes:
1) the zero morpheme (=the morpheme of singularity)
2) the morpheme of plurality
is represented by a number of variants. The preoductive allomorph here is the morpheme “-s” in its variants:[s], [z], [iz] and the non-productive morphemes “-en” (oxen) and some other variants.
Regular formation of PL: base+-s [s], [z], [iz] (boy-s). irregular.form-n: -en (oxen); zero (deer, fish); alternates of the base (man-men); phonemic alteration of the bs (wife-wives); borrowd alteratons: a/ae, on/a.
!!the variant [z] of the morpheme “-s” has the highest frequency of occurrence, as it is found after all phonemes except sibilants (свистящие) and voiceless consonants.
The meaning of the category of number.
In many grammars it is defined as oneness – more than oneness. However, not all grammarians find the definition convincive.
The meaning of the plural form is more than oneness. But a singular form not always denote one object.
~Silence fell in the room.
~He doesn’t like tea.
~The phone was invented by Alexander Bel.
The nouns are used in the sg., but they don’t have the m-ng of 1ness, as they don’t convey the idea of 1 object. They denote abstract notions that can’t be counted. Thus they essentially are uncountable. Þ m-ng opposite to pl-tyÞ non-pl-ty (Бархударов).
Бархударов: non-plurality as a categorical meaning includes several meanings:
1) oneness proper (I saw this film. Give me a pen.)
2) uncountability (see: “silence”, “tea”, “telephone”.)
3) generalization (the lion lives in Africa.)
The m-ng of the unmarked Sg form of the opp-n which represents the cat of № is broader and less definite than the meaning of the marked form. By Бархударов, it is to be defined in negative terms as opposite to the m-ng of the markd form. There are some Ns standing apart from the point of view of the category of №, they have 1 f: sg/pl® Ns of the Tantum group. The singularia tantum nouns (info, advice, hair), pl(clothes, scisors). Such nouns denote notions which are outside the meaning of the c. of №. They don’t convey any idea of number as they cannot reflect any relations of objective reality.The reference of different Ns to either group is oppotional. In various languages their equivalents can get into the opposite tantum group (outskirts – окраина, советы – advice). The reason for the existence of Tantum groups is one of the characteristic features of a language. The idea is that within a grammatical category, any noun must have number and have a morpheme of number. Thus, even those nouns whose meaning contradicts the idea of countability is referred to one of the form classes within the category. even if their m-ng contradicts the idea/m-ng of countability.
8. The category of case of nouns (Ns). The meanings of the common and the genitive case. Different points of view on the number of cases in ModernEnglish.
Case = the form of a N which shows the relations of this N to other Ws in a sentence. Case helps to define the syntactic function of a W in a sentence. In English case is a morphological category, for it is represented by 2 different forms of a noun: 2 cases.
1) the common case (the form is unmarked)
2) the possessive case (genitive) (marked by ‘s. In speech - phonologicaliy conditioned aliomorphs)
In plural nouns the case morpheme & the morpheme of number often coincide. The presence of the genitive case is shown by ‘only (boys').
Common case (CC): the meaning is broad, shows that this or that N is not genitive; can be used in any syntactic f-n in a sentence. Frequent use of Ns in CC (98% of ail Ns).
Genitive case (GC):
1. Mainly applied to Ns denoting animate objects. BUT: often used with Ns denoting measure/space {a year's absence)
2. Ns in GC are mainly used as attributes to other Ns. Can be used as subject {John's is a nice car).
NB Animate objects: can be called 'he/she' and referring to them we. can use 'who'. BUT: a car, a ship - can be replaced by 'he/she', but no 'who'.
Ns which can be substituted only by 'it', BUT can form GC {the committee's report). The meaning of GC is difficult to define. Several types (transformational method):
| meaning | Example | Analysis |
| 1. possessive genitive | John's car My friend's room | key-W - 'to have' (John has a car). Most frequent M |
| 2. subjective genitive | the doctor's advice Mary's beauty | = the doctor advised Mary is beautiful |
| 3. objective genitive | John's surprise The man's release | 1) John was surprised The man was released 2) sb surprised John sb released the man |
| 4. adverbial genitive | Two hours' work A month's absence | Sb worked for 2 hours Sb was absent for a month |
| 5. equation genitive | A mile's distance An arm's length | Distance is a mile Length is an arm |
| 6. genitive of destination | Children's books Ladies' dresses | Books are for children Dresses are for ladies |
Other meanings of GC are difficult to define and may be individual in each case {yesterday's paper, father's generation, Beethoven's symphony).
The number of cases in modern English:
Or3?
3-case system: in Old English - a universal 3-case system for Ns and proNs
(nominative: boy, he: genitive: boy's, his; objective: boy, him)
BUT: the gr sys of English has changed a lot, if proNs retained their 3-case sys, not
necessarily Ns have it. The form 'his' can hardly be considered to be a case form of a
personal proN.
Curm: case= a form of a N which shows its syntactic function in the S.Includes here certain relations which are shown by prepositions/context/position in the S. Various syntactic functions of a N. Uses old English: there syntactic functions were signalled by
inflections, now they’ve disappeared – not clear why the position of a N should be regarded as its case form. Confuses morphological and syntactic factors as well as facts of modern and old English .
Проф. Воронцова; non-traditional point of view on the number of cases of N - the
category of case doesn't exist; ‘s- "a formant s" (формант).
Reasons:
1.the use of `s is not obligatory/ can be substituted by an of-prase. In Russian inflections are obligatory,
2.the formant `s can be added to a limited number of Ns, mainly denoting living beings. In Russian all Ns have case inflections.
3.is not added to plural Ns ending in -s
4. `s can be added to Ns and some adverbs (yesterday's paper), but adverbs in English are indeclinable
5.`s can be used with 'group possessives' (Peter and Paul's father)
All this makes `s different from real case inflections, reminds rather of a function W, very similar to preposition (expresses a certain type of gram relations) but placed after the W and not before = postposition (послелог). Смирницкий не согласен с этой умной женщиной:
1. `s is mainly added to nouns => a case inflection
2. in group genitives words are so closely connected that they can be treated as compound Ns
3. `s can hardly be called a word at all, because it consists of 1 consonant. It can be assimilated in speech. Assimilation is typical of morphemes.
Analytical cases
Regular use of certain prepositions to express case relations:
To go to London
To arrive in London
To leave for London
BUT there are no analytical cases:
1) case is a morphological category and prepositional phrases belong to the sphere of syntax
2) the amount of meanings expressed by prepositions and the meanings of cases do not coincide completely
3) combinations of nouns and various prepositions are too numerous to be interpreted as case forms, so the number of cases becomes practically unlimited.