THE PARTICLE

§ 1.The particle is a part of speech giving modal or emotional emphasis to other words or groups of words or clauses. A particle may join one part of the sentence to another (connecting particles). Particles have no independent function in the sentence.

§ 2. According to their meaning particles fall under the following main groups:

1. Limitingparticles: only, just, but, alone, solely, merely, barely, etc.

I only wanted to make you speak. (Shaw)

Just one question, Mrs. Dartie. Are you still fond of your husband?

(Galsworthy)

Soames was but following in the footsteps of his father. (Galsworthy)

Her name alone was almost enough for one who was terribly susceptible to

the charm of words. (Galsworthy)

He had taken up with it solely because he was starving. (London)

She (Ruth) thought she was merely interested in him (Martin) as an unusual

type possessing various potential excellences, and she even felt philanthropic

about it. (London)

They were spreading not merely on the surface, but within. (Galsworthy)

He barely acknowledged the young fellow’s salute. (Galsworthy)

2. Intensifying particles: simply, still, just, yet, all, but, only, quite, even, etc.

He made plans to renew this time in places still more delightful. (Galsworthy)

He justdid dislike him. (Galsworthy)

They did not even know that he was married. (Galsworthy)

If Jo were onlywith him! (Galsworthy)

But out there he’ll simplyget bored to death. (Galsworthy)

3. Connectingparticles: too, also.

Higgins comes in. He takes off the hat and overcoat.

Pickering comes in. He alsotakes off his hat and overcoat. (Shaw)

He (James) was silent. Soames, too,was silent. (Galsworthy)

4. Negativeparticles: not, never.

No, he was notafraid of that. (Galsworthy)

She looked round her. Nothing — not a thing, no tiniest disturbance

of her hall, nor of the dining room. (Galsworthy)

I neverspoke to him except to ask him to buy a flower off me. (Shaw)

Some of the particles are polysemantic, for instance just, only.

That’s justhis way of talking. (Dreiser) (LIMITING PARTICLE)

Why, I think, that’s a terrible price to ask for it, justawful. (Dreiser)

(INTENSIFYING PARTICLE)

French people onlycome to England to make money. (Galsworthy)

(LIMITING PARTICLE)

If onlythere were a joyful future to look forward to! (Galsworthy)

(INTENSIFYING PARTICLE)

Almost all the particles are homonymous with other parts of speech, chiefly with adverbs (simply), but also with conjunctions (but), pronouns (all), and adjectives (only). The particles else, solely, merely have no homonyms.

Part II

SYNTAX

Chapter XV

<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
Subordinating conjunctions.	\|	THE SIMPLE SENTENCE

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