word class

Question

What word class(or classes) the word in bold belongs to?1. I went on a writing course.2. Britain's retailers face a grim Christmas.Thanks for help...

Vorpar · Accepted Answer

Writing is a verb.

Britain's is a noun (possessive form)

PHILIPKA · Answer

Vorpar,

I'm afraid I hold a different view with respect to your answer to the first sentence, (1) I went on a writing course.

In analysing words for their word classes, we consider not only their forms but also, most crucially, the functions that they perform in the sentences or contexts in which they are. In other words, I'm raising the issue of form and function of words. Between the two, form and function, it is the latter that determines the class of words, first and foremost. After all, word class is primarily an issue of function; that is, conventional word classes, like, Noun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb, are in essence groupings of words according to the functions they (conventionally or traditionally) perform.

It is obvious that your classification of the word "writing" as a verb is based on its form, not on the function it is performing in the sentence (1). It is true that "writing" is in form an inflection for aspect of the word "write", which on its own is a verb, and, thus, that would make "writing", too, on its own, a "verb". But in the sentence (1), "writing" is being used as an adjective: it is performing an adjectival function, not a verbal function. It modifies the noun "course", which is the head of the noun phrase "a writing course". Of this noun phrase, the article "a" functions as the predeterminer. The very fact that the article "a" immediately precedes "writing" quickly shows that it ("writing") is not a verb here.

Do you see my point? In any case, I wish there would come other contributions and interventions to enrich the discussion here.

Love!

Biangzi · Answer

Thanks Philipka,

I still could not fully agree with your classificationof the word writing as a noun.Well, nouns can be preceded immediately by a predeterminer, but in this case, we should take the NP writing course as a whole, to be preceded by DET a. Therefore, we need to analyse words writing and course respectively inside the NP. Would it be possible writing actually an Adjective here?

But, adjectives can be followed by nouns too, and this is the only criterion for adjective that writing fulfils. Look at writing course and good course - good is an adjective and fulfils other criteria: better course, very good. On the other hand, will those be acceptable like: more writing, very writing?

Therefore, I believe that writing here is a noun, because it is acceptable that inside the NP writing course, nouns can be followed by nouns too, to form a NP.

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Biangzi

Your analysis is right. "A writing course" is a NP as the whole, and syntactically "writing" should be an adjective to modify the noun "course". Lexically, however, this "writing" is classified as a noun, which has its origin in the verb "write" and some may call it a gerundive form of "write". You use this noun in a sentence like "He is good at writing". In English, nouns are often used as an adjective to modify other noun. (EX) "baseball stadium", "admission office", "faculty staff", etc..

paco

Biangzi · Answer

Thanks Paco,

I posted an unfinished reply by accident. and I went on to edit. It's so nice to see your reply, just after that....

You are really a life saver...

PHILIPKA · Answer

Hi Biangzi,

I did not classify "writing" as a noun! You need to read my reply to Vorper once again. I argued that "writing" functions as an adjective within the context of the sentence, and, thus, I would classify it as an adjective.

However, I find it very convincing your arguement that demonstrates that "writing" can be classified as a noun too, in the context. But what I wonder is whether you are aware of the contradiction between what the first line of your text is saying and what the last paragragh is saying. In the former you say that you could not fully agree with the classification of "writing" as a noun but in the latter you say you believe "writing" here is a noun.

Love!

Biangzi · Answer

Dear Philipka

Yes, I type it wrong. It should be: I could not fully agree with the classification of ""writing" as an adjective.

Thanks

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