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CHARACTERISTICS OF GRAMMATICAL FORMS AND SEMANTIC RELATIONS
IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK
M.M. Raximov
teacher of Bukhara state university
Abstract:
This study explores the classification of words into grammatical categories in English
and Uzbek, emphasizing the challenges of categorization due to contextual variations. While
traditional linguistic approaches divide words into independent and auxiliary parts of speech,
modern linguistics continues to debate the number and classification principles. Various scholars,
including G. Sweet, B. Ilyish, and E. M. Gordon, have proposed different models based on
lexical, morphological, and syntactic features. The analysis highlights the interplay of meaning,
form, and function in grammatical classification, demonstrating that words may shift categories
depending on context. Comparative studies reveal that both English and Uzbek share
grammatical universals while exhibiting unique structural differences. The findings contribute to
the ongoing discourse on linguistic categorization and grammatical analysis.
Keywords:
grammatical forms, semantic relations, classification principles, meaning, form,
function
Introduction.
Words (lexemes) form the basis of language, and grammar plays a significant role
in organizing them into a meaningful structure for expressing thoughts. The classification of each
lexeme or lexical unit based on its usage and function in a sentence creates a foundation for
thoroughly studying them and determining the development of a language. Words belong to
specific grammatical categories, or parts of speech, based on the concepts they convey. These
classifications distinguish words by both semantic and grammatical features.
Although many scholars have extensively studied the grammar of English and Uzbek, modern
linguistics still faces difficulties and contradictions in categorizing words and defining their
grammatical classifications.
Several issues in English grammar continue to be debated among scholars, including a) The
number of parts of speech in the language; b) The distinction between independent and auxiliary
parts of speech; c) The principles used for classifying words into parts of speech. The main
difficulty arises from the fact that in English, a single word can exhibit characteristics of
different parts of speech depending on the context, making strict categorization challenging. For
example, participles have both adjectival and verbal properties, and some words may shift from
one category to another depending on their contextual use. Additionally, words borrowed from
different cultures over time exhibit unique grammatical features. Despite these challenges, most
scholars have classified English grammar into specific groups.
Literature review.
G. Sweet
divided parts of speech into two main groups: declinable
(changeable) and indeclinable (unchangeable) words, emphasizing morphological characteristics.
B. Ilyish
identified 12 categories: six independent and six auxiliary parts of speech (prepositions,
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conjunctions, particles, modal words, articles, interjections). B. S. Khaimovich and B. I.
Rogovskaya proposed a classification of 14 parts of speech, adding response words and state
words to the auxiliary group. Their classification is based on five criteria:1. Lexical-grammatical
meaning; 2. Lexical-grammatical morphemes; 3. Grammatical categories; 4. Word combination
ability; 5. Sentence function.[4, 20]
Academic A. A. Shakhmatov argued that parts of speech should be studied within syntax [8].
However, B. Ilyish viewed parts of speech as primarily morphological while incorporating some
syntactic aspects [2]. E. M. Gordon emphasized that each word belongs to a particular part of
speech based on its meaning, form, and syntactic function [1]. J. Boronov, M. Boronova, and M.
Toshboyeva classified words into 14 categories:1. Noun; 2. Adjective; 3. Pronoun; 4. Numeral; 5.
Verb; 6. Adverb; 7. Category of state; 8. Modal words; 9. Preposition; 10. Particle; 11.
Conjunction; 12. Interjection; 13. Article; 14. Response words [3, 5].
V. L. Kaushanskaya categorized independent parts of speech as nouns, adjectives, pronouns,
numerals, verbs, adverbs, state categories, modal words, and interjections, while prepositions,
conjunctions, particles, and articles were considered auxiliary parts of speech [6].
K. N. Kachalova and E. E. Izrailevich classified words based on meaning, sentence function,
word formation, and inflectional changes. They categorized nouns, adjectives, numerals,
pronouns, verbs, and adverbs as independent parts of speech, while prepositions, conjunctions,
and articles were auxiliary. Interjections were considered neither independent nor auxiliary as
they do not perform a syntactic function [7]. E. M. Gordon introduced the concept of
"independent elements" in grammar, including modal words, exclamatory words, and tag
questions. Though they do not have a syntactic function, they convey different meanings and
may even form complete sentences (e.g., "yes," "no," "alas") [1].
Methods and methodology.
Like all languages, English categorizes words based on three main
criteria: meaning, form, and function. However, these criteria are sometimes confused, as
linguistic analysis also requires a logical approach.
Meaning:
This includes not only the lexical meaning of a word but also its classification into a
particular category. For instance, nouns express the concept of objects, verbs convey actions, and
adjectives denote qualities. Grammatical meaning refers to abstract, generalized meanings
derived from linguistic units such as phonetic, lexical, morphological, and syntactic elements. [9]
Form:
This relates to the morphological classification of words, including singular and plural
forms in nouns, tense and mood in verbs, and degrees of comparison in adjectives. A
grammatical form is a linguistic structure that conveys grammatical meaning. For example, in
Uzbek, repeating the adjective "yaxshi" (good) intensifies its meaning. Sometimes, different
grammatical forms can express the same meaning. For instance, in Uzbek, the suffixes "-yotir,"
"-yapti," and "-moqda" all indicate the present tense of a verb. In other cases, a single
grammatical form can convey multiple grammatical meanings depending on the context. For
example, the suffix "-lar" in "ishlar" can indicate a noun, a participle, or plurality. This refers to
how words are used in sentences. A grammatical meaning can be conveyed with or without a
grammatical form. For example, in the Uzbek word "maktablar" (schools), the suffix "-lar"
explicitly marks plurality, while in "maktab" (school), singularity is implied by the absence of a
plural marker (zero morpheme).
The opposition of linguistic units forms grammatical categories (such as grammar tools, flexion,
analytical forms, word order and others) [5,112]. The paradigmatic properties of grammatical
forms facilitate these oppositions. For instance, the words "keldi" (came) and "keladi" (comes)
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contrast in terms of tense but share the common meaning of an action. Morphological analysis
plays a crucial role in studying grammatical meaning, form, and categories. Without analyzing
the morphology of the languages being compared, a proper comparison cannot be made.
Conclusion.
In the latest classification, the term "Word Forms" is used as a general term that
encompasses independent parts of speech, auxiliary parts of speech, and independent elements.
Like Uzbek, English allows words to shift from one category to another based on contextual
meaning. Thus, a word's grammatical meaning is closely linked to its logical meaning in the text.
A single grammatical form can convey multiple grammatical category meanings at once. For
instance, the Uzbek word "mavjud" (existing) can indicate future tense, second person, singular
number, and possessive relationship simultaneously. Grammatical categories reflect objective
relationships in reality, making them universal across languages. However, different language
families exhibit variations in grammatical categories and forms.
References:
1. Gordon E. M, Krylova I. P. A Grammar of Present-Day English. M., 1974
2. Ilyish B. The structure of Modern English. Leningrad, 1971
3. Boronov J.B, Boronova M, Toshboyaev M. English Grammar. T. 1978, p. 5
4. Usmanov O'U, Ashurov Sh.S. Theoretical English grammar. Samarkand. 2007, p.-20
5. Block M. A Course in Theoretical Grammar. St. Petersburg - 1978, 112 p
6. Kaushanskaya and dr. English grammar. 5th quest. M., 2008
7. Kachalova K. N, Izrailevich E.E. Practical grammar of the English language. M., 1996
8. Shakhmatov A. A. Syntax of the Russian language. M., 1941
9. http://www.genderi.org/bukhoro-davlat-universiteti-khorijiy-tillar.html?page=2
