SOME MAIN CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF AN ADJECTIVE (ON THE MATERIAL OF

Abstract

The article examines the basic properties of adjectives as an independent class of words on the basis of various theoretical positions existing in the linguistic literature, and interprets key linguistic terms and concepts. The research emphasizes that the analysis of adjectives as a distinct part of speech can be conducted based on different criteria, including semantics, key morphological features, syntactical considerations, and word-formation peculiarities. So, this article delves into the historical, semantic, and grammatical aspects of adjectives, particularly within the context of the Greek language. It begins by tracing the linguistic traditions surrounding adjective studies, from antiquity to modern times, highlighting the evolution of the concept of adjectives as a distinct part of speech. The article explores various linguistic traditions' classifications of adjectives and their roles within different morphological schools. In terms of semantics, the article clarifies the categorical meaning of adjectives, emphasizing their attributiveness and their ability to express static qualities of objects. It outlines the distinction between primary and secondary adjectives, explains their formation and semantic nuances. Furthermore, the article delves into the semantics of derivative adjectives, including qualitative, relative, and possessive adjectives, and explicates their lexical motivation and compositional nuances. Grammatically, the article describes the morphological and syntactic properties of adjectives, focusing on their agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case. It discusses the semantic-grammatical category of comparison and explores the syntactic functions of adjectives as attributive and predicative elements within sentences. Additionally, the article examines the position of adjectives relative to nouns in Ancient Greek, highlighting their syntactic independence from their position. The main points are supported by many illustrative examples based on the Greek language.