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October 05, 2005
Fromkin Chapter 3 Question 2
a) I believe it should be listed as a function word because it is different to verbs like “ask” in use, conjugation and behavior and better suited by definition to function words. Function words or grammatical morphemes are used in relation to the syntax of a sentence they are therefore more constant, skeletal if you like, and are not being added to in the way that content words are. Functions words are therefore considered to be a closed class.
Auxiliary verbs like “to be” have a grammatical function in a sentence and function alongside other verbs like “ask”. They are unlikely to be drastically changed or added to, and so I think it is correct to list auxiliary verbs under function words.
b) I believe that quantifiers are not a closed class but that they can and are being added to. I believe that “mega” might be one such addition by appropriation in recent years. In addition the popular obscenities of the day are often used in place of “very.”
~ Nanette
Posted by lcissavides at October 5, 2005 09:30 AM