The Discourse Basis for Lexical Categories of English Grammar

Abstract

This study investigates the discourse basis for the assignment of lexical categories in English grammar, drawing insights from comprehensive analyses of morphological, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, and discourse features. Through the examination of morphological processes, we explore how suffixation contributes to the categorization of words, revealing significant insights into the derivational mechanisms underlying lexical categorization. Syntactic analysis elucidates the functional roles of words within syntactic structures, highlighting the grammatical functions associated with different lexical categories. Semantic analysis uncovers the semantic roles that words play within sentences, while pragmatic analysis considers how pragmatic factors such as politeness, informativeness, and discourse coherence influence lexical categorization. Additionally, discourse analysis investigates how discourse features shape the assignment of lexical categories, emphasizing the impact of elements such as topic prominence, referentiality, and discourse markers on lexical distribution within texts. Integration of these analyses underscores the intricate interplay between linguistic dimensions in lexical categorization and contributes to a deeper understanding of language organization and usage. This study offers valuable insights into the discourse basis for lexical categories in English grammar and paves the way for future research in linguistics and language processing.