№37 Sentence definitions.

One of the most diff. problems connecting with the s-ce study is its definition. The German scholars decided to summarize all the existing definitions of the sentence → 301 (after that they were tired). Inspite of this great number many of them have similar features and can be distributed into 6 groups:

1. Logical definition: s-ce – is a group of words expressing a complete thought (English Descriptive or nominative grammar, 18^th c.).

2. Psychological D.: s-ce- is not only a linguistic unit but also the structure of human feeling or thought. (Шахматов – Предложение – это комбинация представлений в процессе мышления.). S.Curme (an Eng. scholar): a sentence is an expression of thought or feeling by means of a word or words used in such forms and manner as to convey the meaning intended.

3. Structural D. (classical Scientific Gr-r), R.Zandvoort: a s-ce is an oral or written communication made up one or more units, each of which contains a complete utterance formed acc to a definite pattern (по определенной схеме).

4. Formal D. American Descriptive Gr-r) Ch. Fries: a s-ce is a word or group of words standing between the initial Capital letter and a mark of end punctuation or between two marks of end punctuation.

5. Phonetic D. M.Whitehall (a representative of the same school): an utterance ending with one of 2 intonation contours (fall→.! , rise→?) typical of the Eng. language.

In the majority of cases however we come across with mixed definitions where a

several features of a s-ce are reflected. M.Bryant; the s-ce is a communication in words conveying a sense of completeness containing at least one independent verb with its subject (Structural Approach).

The features which should be included into the s-ce def.-ns are:

• the s-ce is a syntactic unit;

• the s-ce is an autonomous unit which isn’t a part of a larger syntactic structure;

• the s-ce is a structurally complete unit which is based on a certain syntactic pattern or modal and contains all the component characteristics of these pattern:

N/ProN gives o O.

N/ProN helps O.

N stands adv.

S-ce should possess all the parts of the s-ce preconditioned by the verbal valiancy. Ex. He knew O. At the same time the s-ce doesn’t necessarily expressed a complete thought because in many cases it may contain the words whose lexical meaning is ambiguous and depends on the context. Ex. She did that. He knew it.

• the s-ce is characterized by its own purpose of utterance. It can be a statement, a ? or a command.

• The s-ce as an syntactic unit is materialized in a written or oral form. Acc-ly it should be phonetically or graphically shaped.

So, the s-ce is an autonomous, structurally complete syntactic unit having its own purpose of utterance and phonetically and graphically shaped.

The s-ce and the related units.

№38 Category of modality of a s-ce.

Ch. Balie: “ In every s-ce there are 2 obvious aspects → dictum and modus. Dictum expresses the meaning of the s-ce what is said about the subj. modus expresses the speaker’s attitude to what is being said. Mod-ty is a universal category of lang-e which expresses the relation of s-ce meaning to reality as it is presented by the speaker. The most important and most universal means of expressing s-ce mod-ty is the verbal category of mood. Since every predicate in a s-ce stands in one of 3 moods the mod-ty expressed in this way is called the objective mod-ty. Objective mod-ty is subdivided into 2 groups: mod-ty of reality (indicative mood) and mod-ty of unreality (the imperative, subjunctive moods).

In case of obj. Mod-ty there are no indicators of the speaker’s personal attitude towards the meaning of the s-ce, Ex. It’s cold today. It will be cold today.

In add-n to obj. Mod-ty very often there may appear in a s-ce lang-e forms expressing the speaker’s personal attitude. This is the 2^nd kind of mod-ty → the subjective mod-ty. It is expressed by a great variety of lang-e forms.

1^st of all these are parenthesis. They may be single words: probably, certainly, luckily; phrases: in my opinion, to my mind, to tell the truth, to put it mildly, to be honest; a great number of parenthetical clauses: I think, I hope, I doubt, I’m afraid, as john told me and so on.

2. Various evaluating words; N-s. Adj-s, Adv-s;

3. Syntactic character → these are tag-questions;

4. Intonation can also be used to turn affirmation into supposition.

Modal verbs are not included either into the objective or subjective modality. They express different kind of mod-ty which shows the relations between the action and the doer.

Ex. Peter must (obligatory) do it. May – probable, can – possible due to his phis. or mental ability, should – desirable, has to – is induced, is to – planned.

Since there are many means of expressing mod-ty in the s-ce some scholars present the category in the form of the linguistic field. The most important of these means are the mood forms which presuppose the general character of the s-ce mod-ty and means of subjective mod-ty serve as additional devices which may either strengthen or weaken the objective mod-ty → the primary mod-ty of the s-ce, while the subjective is called the secondary mod-ty. Ex. he will do it (obj. mod-ty). Of course, he will do it (obj. mod-ty. Probably he will do it (obj. mod-ty).