ADVERBIALS

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Adverbials

Magdalena Yaneva

Laura Calin

Tatjana Sipakova

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1. Introduction

2. Semantic roles of the adverbials

2.1 Semantic roles

2.2 Realization

2.3 Position - initial, medial (iM, mM, eM), end positions

3.Grammatical functions

3.1 Arts of grammatical functions

3.2 Adjuncts

3.2.1 Adjuncts of space

3.2.2 Adjuncts of time

3.2.3 Process Adjuncts

3.2.4 Positions of adjunct classes in respect of each other

3.3 Subjuncts

3.4 Disjuncts

3.5 Conjuncts

1.Introduction

Adverbs differ from the other elements of a clause by:

- range of semantic roles

- they can occur multiple in the same clause

- can have more than one realization forms

- they can have different positions in a clause

- they have distinctive grammatical function

- they have flexibility for use in information processing and in

displaying textual connections

ex.: The girl was dressed very beautifully. - > adverb

I saw a very beautifully dressed girl. - > object

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2. Semantic roles

a) space:

-position

ex.: He lay on his bed.

or with verbs, which express motion

ex.: They are strolling in the park.

-direction

ex.: They drove westwards.

or to direction along with a locational specification

ex.: She walked down the hill.

-goal

ex.: She walked (down the hill) to the bus stop.

-source

ex.: She walked (down the hill) from the school.

-distance

ex.: They had travelled a long way.

Each of these adverbials answer a specific question, which helps one to find out

the adverb in a sentence:

Position - > Where?
Direction - > Where? Which way?
Goal

- > Where?

Source

- > Where (is she coming) from?

Distance - > How far?

b) time: the subroles are closely analogous to those of space

-position

ex.: She drove to Chicago on Sunday.

-duration - to specific position on the time scale we have the concept of span,

itself subdivided in forward span and backward span (as by space
goal and source)

ex.: I shall be staying here till next week. - forward span

I have been staying here since last week.

- backward span

The adverbials can also refer to a period of time:

ex.: I'm staying for three weeks.

-frequency

ex.: Well, I like to go frequently to the theater, but in fact I have been only three times this

year.

-relationship between one time and another

ex.: He had visited his mother already when I saw him yesterday.

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c) process - is expressed by:

-manner

ex.: casually, with difference, slowly

-means

ex.: by bus, in mathematics, through insight

-instrument

ex.: with a fork, using a dictionary

-agentive

ex.: by John

The patient was carefully treated by the nurse medically with a well tried drug.

But there are cases where 1 adverb can express the four subclasses:

ex.: She did it legally.

manner: quite legally, not illegally

means: by invoking the law
instrument: with legal arguments
and also respect, which we will see as next: in respect of law

d) respect
-more abstract

ex.: He is working in a (nearby) factory.

And it will rather answer the question 'What is he doing?' than 'Where is he working?'

e) contingency
-cause

ex.: She died of cancer.

-reason

ex.: He bought the book because of his interest in metaphysics.

-purpose

ex.: He bought the book so as to study metaphysics.

-result

ex.: He read the book, so he acquired some knowledge of metaphysics.

-condition

ex.: If he reads the book carefully, he will acquire some knowledge of metaphysics.

-concession

ex.: Though he didn't read the book, he acquire some knowledge of metaphysics.

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f) modality
-emphasis

ex.: She was certainly been enthusiastic about her work.

She hasn't been enthusiastic at all about her work.

-approximation

ex.: She has probably been enthusiastic about her work.

-restriction

ex.: She has been enthusiastic only about her work. - refers to 'work'

She alone has been enthusiastic about her work. - refers to 'she'

g) degree
-amplification

ex.: I badly want a drink.

- diminution

ex.: She helped him a little with his book.

-measure

ex.: He likes playing squash more than his sister does.

h) multiple occurance – if there are more than one adverbial in a clause

ex.: Next Tuesday I shall probably visit her mother in London briefly

to see if she's feeling better, unless she telephones me before that.

2.2 Realization

a) adverb phrase with closed class adverb as head

ex.: She telephoned (just) then.

b) adverb phrase with open-class adverb as head
ex.: She telephoned very recently.

c) none phrase
ex.: She telephoned last week.

d) prepositional phrase

ex.: She telephoned in the evening.

e) verbless clause

ex.: She telephoned though obviously ill.

f) nonefinite clause

ex.: She telephoned while waiting for the plane.

She telephoned hoping for a job.

g) finite clause

ex.: She telephoned after she had seen the announcement.

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2.3 Position

The adverbials can have different position in a clause and it also make a different meaning

of a sentence. The type of realization, the semantic and grammatical typology have
strong influence on where an adverbial is placed. They can have:

- initial position – immediately before the subject

ex.: Suddenly, the driver started the engine.

- medial position – between the subject and the verb or if it is realized by verb phrase the

adverb take the position after the subject and the operator(if there is

ex.:The driver has suddenly started the engine.

There is an example where the adverb has an initial position, which actually must

be regarded as medial position:

ex.: Never remove the cover.

in meaning of: We never remove the cover

Also an adverb can have an initial medial (iM) position:

ex.: She really had delighted her audience

medial medial (mM) position:

ex.: The car may have sometimes been being used without permission.

or end medial (eM) position:

ex.: This bridge may have been partly designed by Brunel.

The three positions of an adverb can also exist in one clause:

ex.:The new law certainly may possibly have indeed been badly formulated.

- end position – position after all other obligatory elements in the clause

ex.: The light was fading rapidly.

He put the vase on the table without saying anything.

There can be more then one adverb with an end position:

ex.: She kept writing letters feverishly in her study all afternoon.

and an adverb can also be on initial end (iE) position:

ex.: She placed the book offhandedly on the table.

Only adverbials in phrasal verbs can be placed on iE position except when the direct

object is a pronoun:

ex.: She waved it away.

*She waved away it.

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3. Grammatical functions

3.1 Arts of grammatical functions

ex.: She was in a hurry. - > Adjunct

He fairly sprang at her with his questions. - > Subjunct

Sadly, the storm destroyed the entire tobacco crop. - > Disjunct

It was snowing, and nonetheless Jana went cycling. - > Conjunct

3.2 Adjuncts

- resemble the other sentence elements such as Subject, Object and Complement
- can be the focus of a cleft sentences

ex.: Hilda helped Tony because of his injury.

It was Hilda that helps Tony because of his injury. - > Subject
It was Tony that Hilda helped because of his injury. - > Object
It was because of his injury that Hilda helped Tony. - > Adjunct

- the adjuncts answer the questions:

Why?, When?, Where?, How?, How long?, How well?

a) Subcategories of the adjuncts: predication( obligatory and optional) and sentence
adjuncts.

- Obligatory Predication Adjuncts

ex.: He lived in Chicago. - > Adjunct obligatory

He loves Joan. - > Object

- Optional Predication Adjuncts – the opposite of the obligatory adjuncts, it is not

necessary that these adjuncts exist in a sentence.

ex.: The Queen arrived.

The Queen arrived in a blue gown.

- position of the predication adjuncts – normally E, but when the object is lengthy

and complex iE.

ex.: They want to bring into force a new regulation about passengers in buses

- > Obligatory Adjunct

I found in the kitchen the letter I thought I had burnt. - > Optional Adjunct

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- sentence adjuncts – they relate to the sentence as a whole rather than solely to the
verbal and post-verbal elements. The difference between predication and the
sentence adjuncts is that the sentence adjuncts can occur at I as well as E.

ex.: She kissed her mother on the cheek.

On the cheek, she kissed her mother.

There are subject and object related sentence adjuncts

ex.: I found the letter in the kitchen. - > object-related

I typed the letter in the kitchen. - > subject-related

If move the adjunct in the examples from E to I.

ex.: In the kitchen I found the letter. - > subject-related

In the kitchen I typed the letter. - > object-related

3.2.1 Adjuncts of space

There are five semantic subroles that can be
distinguished within the category of space:

Position
Direction
Distance
Goal
Source

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a) Position - is expressed when a verb (e.g. be, live etc.) takes an obligatory

predication adjunct:

ex.: They are on the continent.

She lives in Chicago.

-can be expressed by a prepositional phrase introduced by with (especially

in relation to animates, persons)

ex.: A: Where is Joan?

B: She is (staying) with her brother.

b) Direction- is expressed when a special predication adjunct is optional (including

goal and source)

ex.: The children were running very fast towards the park.

... from the school.
... to the swings.

Direction adjuncts can be used with:

- > Verbs of motion or other verbs used dynamically, that allow a

directional meaning

ex.: He came from America last week.

- > copular verb: be- when they have a resultative meaning

ex.: They are past by now. ( Have gone past.)

c) Distance – is expressed by a noun phrase

ex.: We hurried a few miles and then rested.

- is expressed by a prepositional phrase

ex.: We hurried for a few miles and then rested.

Apart from the use of noun phrases for same predication adjuncts of distance,
space adjuncts are most commonly expressed with a prepositional phrase:

ex.: I saw Joane at the office at which her father works.

But the head noun is usually omitted and the whole adjunct is expressed with only
the Where-Clause.

ex.: I saw Joane where her father works.

There are numerous common adverbs realizing spatial relations (most can be used for

both position and direction)

ex.: about, across, near, between, beyond...

Ambiguity can arise when these items are used in different semantic roles with the
same verbs:

ex.: Did you drive the car near the police station?

- > The adjuncts can be interpreted as directional: towards the police station

positional: in the vicinity of the police station

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d) Position of space Adjuncts

- they often appear at the End:

ex.: Position: I'll meet you downstairs.

Direction: I'll go downstairs.
Goal: I'll go downstairs to the kitchen.
Distance: Try to fly the whole distance.

- Medial:

ex.: Life is everywhere so frustrating.

- Initial – > prepositional phrases – to avoid ambiguity as end-focus:

ex.: Outside children were jumping and skiing.

- > direction adjuncts – have a dramatic impact and rhetorical flavor Occurs

in I in literary English and children's literature as informal speech:

ex.: Away he goes.

3.2.2 Adjuncts of time

a) Realization

The adverb is the most convenient realization of time adjuncts

- closed-class adverbs

- > Refer to a time contextually given:

ex.: then, before, since...

- > refer to a specific point of time:

ex.: now, today, tomorrow, yesterday...

- > can be general in their reference:

ex.: often, always, seldom...

- open-class adverbs

- > are lexically specific and for the most part '-ly' formations an adjective

bases:

ex.: subsequently, eventually, immediately

The noun phrase occurs for position, duration and frequency:

ex.: We were in France last year. - > position

They lived (for) several years in Italy. - > duration
She writes an article every month. - > frequency

Prepositional phrase can express all semantic roles:

ex.: Time position: He visited her on Monday.

Forward span: She is staying till Tuesday.
Backward span: The house has been empty since the war.
Duration: They worked steadily for two hours.
Frequency: There are no lectures on Saturdays.
Relationship: I had confidence in her up to that time.

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b) Time adjuncts

Time position adjuncts

- those adjuncts denoting a point or period of time, especially before – again,

early, late, now, immediately

ex.: I was in New York last year and I'm living now in Baltimore.

Frank immediately hurried away to find a doctor.

- those adjuncts which in addition imply attention to another period of time,

especially after – afterwards, before, earlier, once...

ex.: She once owned a dog.

Take a hot drink and then go to bed.

Adjuncts of span and duration

- they are 3 types that relate to time as to linear dimension:

- > Forward span

Key items are until and till, introducing either clauses as a
prepositional phrase:

ex.: They will live in Chicago until William finishes his thesis.

She will be working till nine o'clock.

Other modes of realizing forward span: up to, over, for, before, by, by the time:

ex.: Can you stay over the weekend?

I have to leave before midday.

- > Backward span

The key item in realizing adjuncts of backward span is since:

- elicited by questions as: How long have you...?

When...?
Since when...?

If they are placed M and if the verb has progressive form they can be expressed
without for:

ex.: Mary was two years writing that play.

- > Duration

The same items can be used to express measures of time that are not confined to
future as past:

ex.: She writes for an hour every day.

Adverbs are used for general measures of time: always, briefly, momentarily,
permanently, temporarily, lately

ex.: His visit used to be rare, but lately he has been here quite a lot.

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c) Time-frequency adjuncts – frequency can be conceived in absolute terms without

concern for the period of the time over which the recurrence in question took place

- Definite frequency

- > period frequency: daily, nightly, weekly, every week/month...

- Indefinite frequency

- > usual occurrence: commonly, generally, normally, usually...

- > continuous/ continual/ universal frequency: always, constantly,

permanently

- > high frequency: frequently, often, regularly

- > low frequency: infrequently, occasionally, seldom, never...

d) Position of time adjuncts

- Time adjuncts tend to occur in the order:

time duration – time frequency – time position

ex.: I was there for a short while / every day / as so in January.

3.2.3 Process adjuncts

There are 4 types of process adjuncts:

- manner adjuncts
- means adjuncts
- instrument adjuncts
- agent adjuncts

- All four semantic types of process adjuncts can be realized by prepositional

phrases:

ex.: She uttered the words with cold deliberation - > manner

She spoke from notes. - > means
The speech was mode audible with amplifying system. - > instrument
It was heard by millions. - > agentive

- manner and means adjuncts can be also realized by noun phrases:

ex.: I'd like to send this parcel air mail.

- manner otherwise can be realized by adverb phrases:

ex.: He glanced at her (very) lovingly.

Position

- Process adjuncts are usually placed at the End, since they usually receive the

information focus:

ex.: They treated his friend badly.

- When the verb is in the passive, process adjuncts are commonly placed iE:

ex.: Discussions have been tentatively began.

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3.2.4 Positions of adjunct classes in respect of each

other

Two general principles can be stated:

a) The relative order, especially of sentence adjuncts, can be changed to suit the

demands of information focus

b) Shorter adjuncts tend to precede longer one:

- means that: adverbs precede noun phrases, which precede prepositional

phrases, which precede nonfinite clauses, which precede finite clauses.

3.3 Subjuncts

Subjuncts have a subordinate role

-wide orientation – the whole clause
-narrow orientation – individual clause element

a) Wide orientation:

- viewpoint subjuncts - nongradable

ex.: This play presents visually a sharp challenge to a discerning audience.

He fairly sprang at her with his questions.

They can be formed from: adjectives + ly =AdjP

nouns + wise = NP

- courtesy subjuncts – expressions of politeness and propriety – please, cordially,

humbly. They are restricted to eM:

ex.: He kindly offered me a ride.

but in Imperative clauses can be in the I, M and E:

ex.: Please leave the room!

Leave the room, please!
Write on this form, please, your full address!

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b) narrow orientation – relate to individual clause element

- item subjuncts
- emphasizers
- intensifiers
- focusing subjuncts

- item subjuncts – an element of clause

- > subject-oriented – Subjunct has a special relation with the Subject

ex.: Leslie greeted the stranger casually. (in a casual manner)

Casually, Leslie greeted the stranger. (Leslie was casual)

- > predication subjuncts – Subjunct has a special relation with the Predicate

ex.: She is a really intelligent child. - > part of C

She is really an intelligent child. - > predication Subjunct

- > time-relationship Subjuncts – already, still and yet.

Already and still occur in M, and yet in M or E.
ex.: I already like him.

The first snowdrops are yet to appear.

- Differ in usage with respect to negation
- Yet is nonassertive form
ex.: He can't drive yet.

- emphasizers – have reinforcing effect on the true value of the clause

Emphasizers are actually, certainly, clearly, definitely.

Most emphasizers precede the item they emphasize (iM, M, eM)
but for certain , for sure - E

ex.: He really may have injured innocent people.

They don't know for sure.

All the emphasizers can appear in a questions except certainly and surely.

ex.: Do they definitely want him to be elected?

*Do they certainly want him to be elected?

- intensifiers – concerned with the semantic category of degree

- > amplifiers: maximizers – denote the high level of the scale – completely,

absolutely, totally, fully

boosters – the extreme level of the scale – very much, enormously,

strongly, intensely, violently

- > downtoners: approximators – express an approximation to the force of the verb-

almost, nearly

compromizers – a slight lowering effect – more or less, kind of sort of

diminishers – to a small extent – partly, in some respects

minimizers – negative maximizers – barely, hardly, in the last

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- focusing subjuncts – are realized by a limited set of items, mostly adverbs and

some PP

- > restrictive subjuncts - indicate that the utterance is true in respect of the part

focused

exclusives – restrict the application of the utterance exclusively to the part

focused: alone, exactly, just, merely, precisely, solely

particularizers – restrict the application of the utterance predominantly to the

part: chiefly, especially, mainly, mostly, notably

- > additive subjuncts – indicate that the utterance is additionally true in respect of

the part focused: again, also, either, further, similarly, in
addition

ex.: She merely forgot to give her husband a kiss.

Focusing subjuncts are most frequently placed at M:

ex.: John could only see his wife from the doorway.

3.4 Disjuncts

Disjuncts – have a superior role, syntactically more detached, extend over the

sentence.

ex.: Since she ran out of money, she had to defer buying a car.

- style disjuncts – express comments by speakers on the style or manner in which
they are speaking.

- > modality and manner: candidly, honestly, strictly, truly

ex.: Frankly, I am tired.

- > respect: generally, literally, personally

ex.: Personally, I find the music too arid.

- content disjuncts – comment on the content of what is being said

- > degree of truth: admittedly, arguably, allegedly

ex.: Perhaps you can help me.

- > value judgement – convey some evaluation of what is said: correctly, justly,

wrongly

ex.: Rightly, Mrs Jensen consulted her lawyer.

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3.5 Conjuncts

Indicate a connection between the unit in which they appear and another usually

preceding unit.

ex.: In addition, she has written a successful novel.

- most conjuncts are adverbs and PP.
- conjuncts have a superordinate role as compared with other clause elements.
- they are not filling the semantic roles characteristic of adjuncts.

Conjunctive roles:

- > listing

- >enumerative: first, second, third, first of all, to begin with

- > additive: equative – correspondingly, likewise, in the same way

reinforcing – again, also, besides, furthermore, above all

- > summative: altogether, overall, thus, all in all

- > appositive: namely, in other words, for example

- > resultive: accordingly, consequently, hence, as a result

- > inferential: else, otherwise, then, in other words

- > contrastive: reformulatory- better, rather, more precisely

replacive – again, on the other hand
antithetic – contrariwise, instead, oppositely
concessive – anyhow, anyway, besides

- > transitional: discoursal – incidentally, by the way

temporal – meantime, meanwhile, subsequently, originally,

eventually