Core semantics of value general adverb

Adverbs: Morphosyntactic criterion

A general adverb is an invariable morphological unit that can be either a dependent constituent of a phrase or an independent constituent of a sentence. A particular case of a general adverb is the morphological unit `tout' because it varies according to the features gender and number in a specific morphophonological context, i.e. before a consonant:

Examples:

• No variation before a vowel:
  Elle est tout heureuse.
  Elles sont tout heureuses.
• Variation before a consonant:
  Elle est toute heureuse.
  Elles sont toutes heureuses.

In contrast to pronouns, adverbs have a semantic orientation.

Test:

Given X, an invariable morphological unit: If X is an independent constituent of a sentence, i.e. a constituent which can occur at the beginning of the sentence in anteposition, and if X can be moved inside the sentence, then X is an adverb.

Examples:

• Pierre vient demain /pos=adverb & type=general.
  Demain /pos=adverb & type=general, Pierre vient.
• Paul travaille ici /pos=adverb & type=general.
  Ici /pos=adverb & type=general, Paul travaille.
• Paul a maintenant /pos=adverb & type=general fini.
  Maintenant /pos=adverb & type=general, Paul a fini.
• Cependant /pos=adverb & type=general, il n'est pas venu.
  Il n'est cependant /pos=adverb & type=general pas venu.
• Evidemment /pos=adverb & type=general, Paul est parti le premier.
  Paul, évidemment /pos=adverb & type=general, est parti le premier.
• Juridiquement /pos=adverb & type=general, Pierre est en tort.
  Pierre est, juridiquement /pos=adverb & type=general, en tort.
• Heureusement /pos=adverb & type=general, il n'a pas eu mal.
  Il n'a heureusement /pos=adverb & type=general pas eu mal.

Note: In combination with the preposition `de', deictic adverbs can play the role of a modifier within a noun phrase:

Examples:

• le repas d'hier /pos=adverb & type=general était bon.
• les gens d'ici /pos=adverb & type=general sont gentils.

Test:

Given X an invariable morphological unit: If X can be preceded by the coordinate conjunction `et', for example, then X is an adverb (and not a coordinate conjunction).

Examples:

• Pierre a mangé au restaurant et ensuite /pos=adverb il est allé au cinéma.

Test:

Given X an invariable morphological unit or the morphological unit `tout', Adj an adjective, NP a noun phrase, VP a verbal phrase: If X + Adj is a constituent of a NP or VP and if the omission of X does not affect grammatically the NP or VP, then X is an adverb.

Examples:

• Marie est très /pos=adverb & type=general jolie.
  Marie est jolie.
• Marie est toute /pos=adverb & type=general jolie.
  Marie est jolie.
• une maison particulièrement /pos=adverb & type=general grande.
  une grande maison.
• une toute /pos=adverb & type=general jeune fille.
  une jeune fille.
• Pierre est plutôt /pos=adverb & type=general grand.
  Pierre est grand.

Some of these adverbs have comparative value (``adverb ...que''):

Examples:

• Pierre est plus /pos=adverb & type=general grand que Jean.
• Pierre est moins /pos=adverb & type=general grand que Paul.
• Pierre est aussi /pos=adverb & type=general grand que Laurent.
• Pierre est plutôt /pos=adverb & type=general grand que petit.

Some of these adverbs can form superlatives in combination with the definite article (``le + adverb''):

Examples:

• Pierre est le plus /pos=adverb & type=general grand.
• Max est le moins /pos=adverb & type=general grand.

Test:

Given Y an adverb or a prepositional phrase PP, and given X an invariable morphological unit or the morphological unit `tout': If X + Y is a constituent of a NP or VP and if the omission of X does not affect grammatically the NP or VP, then X is an adverb.

Examples:

• Il court extrêmement /pos=adverb & type=general vite.
  Il court vite.
• Il est venu longtemps /pos=adverb & type=general après.
  Il est venu après.
• Il est beaucoup /pos=adverb & type=general en avance.
  Il est en avance.

Test:

Given X an invariable morphological unit, VP a verbal phrase, If X is an expansion of VP (X modifies V, and the omission of X does not affect grammatically the VP), then X is an adverb.

Examples:

• Il travaille bien /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Il mange trop /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Il lit attentivement /pos=adverb & type=general le journal.
• Il travaille assidûment /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Ce vase est fabriqué artisanalement /pos=adverb & type=general.

Note: A range of adverbs which are an expansion of a verb phrase can be the subject of focussing via ``c'est ...que''.

Examples:

• Pierre a lu attentivement /pos=adverb & type=general l'annonce.
  C'est attentivement qu'il a lu l'annonce.
• Il a arrosé les plantes abondamment /pos=adverb & type=general.
  C'est abondamment qu'il a arrosé les plantes.

Test:

Given Aux an auxiliary, Pro a pronoun, Past part a past participle: If ne + (Pro) + Aux + X + Past part succeeds, then X is an adverb.

Examples:

• Pierre n'est pas /pos=adverb parti.
• Pierre n'a guère /pos=adverb mangé.
• Pierre n'est plus /pos=adverb sorti.

but:

Examples:

• Pierre n'a vu personne /pos=p.

Test:

If X can be the response of a yes/no question, then X is an adverb.

Examples:

• Est-il venu? -- Oui /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Est-il venu? -- Non /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Il n'est pas venu? -- Si /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Veux-tu encore du café? -- Volontiers /pos=adverb & type=general.
• Tu vas partir en vacances? -- Vraisemblablement /pos=adverb & type=general.

Adverbs: Semantic criterion

Pronouns which can occupy the position of a prepositional phrase or an adverbial phrase have no semantic orientation, whereas adverbs that occupy the same position do. A given pronoun can commute with adverbs that have different semantic values. In other words, adverbs have deictic value, whereas pronouns have anaphoric value.

Test:

If X can commute with different morphological units and if X embodies their different semantic values, then X can be a pronoun.

Examples:

• Il s'y /pos=p assoit.
  Il s'assoit ici /pos=adverb -- là /pos=adverb.
• Il est venu quand /pos=p?
  Il est venu aujourd'hui /pos=adverb -- hier /pos=adverb.

Different semantic classes:

Description Examples

adverbs of assertion volontiers /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of conjunction en outre /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of disjunction en clair /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of evaluation paradoxalement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of frequency mensuellement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of inhabit généralement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of chronology premièrement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of time demain /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of attitude oriented to the subject prudemment /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of manner oriented to the subject joyeusement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of manner oriented to the predicate modulairement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of intensity, quantity excessivement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of point of view techniquement /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of place ici /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of comparison moins /pos=adverb & type=general

adverbs of negation pas /pos=adverb & type=general

Some adverbs in combination with the indefinite determiner `de' have determinative value; they form, with the determiner `de', a determinative group, with `de' as the head and the adverb as the modifier.

Description Examples

Adverb+de Tant /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Autant /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Trop /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Assez /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Moins /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Beaucoup /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Peu /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes Plus /pos=adverb de /pos=adposition personnes

Adverbs with the prefixed adverb `là' or the particle `ci' can be anaphors for locative prepositional phrases:

pos=adverb pos=adposition

Description Example Description Example

adverb Il a mis de la crème
là-dessus /pos=adverb adposition Il a mis de la crème
sur /pos=adposition
la tarte