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    Cross-classification of semantic classes and constructions
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    The four semantic types of adjectives distinguished in the previous section, namely set-denoting adjectives, relational adjectives, subjectively evaluating adjectives, and a residual class, can occur in four different syntactic constructions, namely with:

    1. Attributive constructions
    2. Predicative constructions
    3. Partitive constructions, and
    4. Adverbial constructions.
    However, the various semantic types cannot all fulfil each of the functions reflected by the constructions listed above, as will be explained in a further section.

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    All four semantic types of adjective that have been identified previously can occur in the attributive construction, but only a particular selection of the four constructions applies to the relational, subjectively evaluating and residual adjectives, as can be seen in this table:

    Table 1
    Attributive Predicative Partitive Adverbial
    1 Set-denoting yes yes yes yes
    2 Relational yes no no no
    3 Subjectively evaluating yes no no yes
    4 Residual yes no no yes

    Some examples of how the various semantic types can occur within each construction are presented below.

    This is the only construction for which examples of all four semantic types can be given.

    1
    Set-denoting adjectives
    die lang gedig
    the long poem
    the long poem
    2
    Relational adjectives
    Mosselbaai·se meisies
    Mossel.Bay·ADJ.ATTR girls
    girls from Mossel Bay
    3
    Subjectively evaluating adjectives
    daardie vervlakst·e skobbejak
    that damned·ATTR scoundrel
    that damned scoundrel
    4
    Residual
    verskillend·e probleme
    different·ATTR problems
    different problems

    Only set-denoting (i.e. descriptive) adjectives can occur in the predicative construction.

    5
    Set-denoting adjectives
    Die gedig is lank.
    the poem is long
    The poem is long.

    In the following examples, it is shown that the remaining three symantic types are not eligible:

    6
    Relational adjectives
    *Die meisies is Mosselbaai·s.
    the girls are Mossel.Bay·ADJ
    The girls are from Mossel Bay.
    7
    Subjectively evaluating adjectives
    *Daardie skobbejak is vervlaks.
    that scoundrel is confounded
    *That scoundrel is confounded.
    8
    Residual
    *Daardie probleme is verskeie
    those probems are various
    *Those problems are various.

    Similarly, only set-denoting adjectives may occur in the partitive construction:

    9
    Set-denoting adjectives
    iets warm·s
    something hot·PTV
    something hot

    The ungrammatical nature of the following examples is indicated here:

    10
    Relational adjectives
    *iets Mosselbaai·s
    something Mossel.Bay·PTV
    something from Mossel Bay
    11
    Subjectively evaluating adjectives
    *iets vervlaks
    something confounded
    something confounded
    12
    Residual adjectives
    *iets verskeies
    something various.PTV
    *something various

    Finally, all adjectives, if their lexical meaning allows it, may occur as adverbials, except relational (i.e. classifying) adjectives. It should be noted that adjectives, when used adverbially in Afrikaans, mostly do not undergo any concomitant morphological change.

    13
    Set-denoting adjectives
    Hulle praat hard.
    they talk loudly
    They talk loudly.
    14
    Relational adjectives
    ?Hulle bak Italiaans.
    they bake Italian
    ?They bake Italian.
    15
    Subjectively evaluating adjectives
    Hulle het gelukkig gewen.
    they have fortunately won
    Fortunately they have won.
    16
    Residual adjectives
    Dit is beslis nie waar nie.
    that is definitely not true PTCL.NEG
    That is definitely not true.

    This semantic classification is not rigid. In some instances, an adjective that is, for example, relational, may be used as a set-denoting adjective. In the examples below, the modifier tipies characteristically causes such a shift in meaning:

    17
    ?Daardie kaas is Belgies.
    that cheese is Belgian
    That cheese is Belgian.
    18
    Daardie kaas is tipies Belgies.
    that cheese is characteristically Belgian
    That cheese is characteristically Belgian.
    19
    ?Dit is Belgies om nie hand te skud nie.
    it is Belgian to not hand to shake PTCL.NEG
    It is Belgian not to shake hands.
    20
    dit is tipies Belgies om nie hand te skud nie
    it is characteristically Belgian to not hand to shake not
    It is charactaristically Belgian not to shake hands.

    In the examples below, a PP has been used to cause such a shift in meaning:

    21
    ?Hulle bak Frans.
    they bake French
    They bake French.
    22
    Hulle bak op die Franse manier.
    they bake on the French manner
    They bake in the French way.
    References
      About this article
      Author(s): Ernst Kotzé, Lize Terblanche
      Category: Afrikaans Syntax
      Keywords: semantic typesmain contructions
      Version: 1.0, May 2020
      Version history:
      version editor(s) date remarks
      1.0 Ernst Kotzé, Lize Terblanche May 2020
      This is a beta version.
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