Proceedings of ISELT FBS Universitas Negeri Padang
Vol 3 (2015): Proceedings of 3nd International Seminar on English Language Teaching (ISELT)

INVESTIGATING THE FORMS IN ENGLISH

Zulprianto Zulprianto (Faculty of Humanities Andalas University)



Article Info

Publish Date
06 Aug 2015

Abstract

The use of <lNG> form is enormously extensive in English and possibly, poses some conceptual or grammatical difficulties for English teachers and learners. On the one hand, <lNG> morpheme is attached to a verbal base resulting in a verbal form and function. Such form and function can be assumed to be the default case. On the other hand. <lNG> morpheme can also be attached to a verbal base, but brings about adjectival and nominal functions. ln relation to such usages of <lNG>. Nida (1949) suggests that <lNG> should simply be treated as a single morpheme with various usages. As a matter of fact, despite being used as a noun or adjective, <lNG> forms still keep their verbal force. The case of <lNG> forms uncovers the point where word-class indeterminacy exists and therefore they are prevailingly regarded as trans categorial, a sort of 'hybrid category' and'seem to be core members of more than one category, simultaneously (Alexiadou 2013; Malouf 1996). This paper has trvo objectives: firstly, to elaborate the idiosyncrasies of <lNG> forms which are certainly valuable for English teaching and learning and, secondly. to examine the distributions of <lNG> forms in a small English narrative corpus by employing a quantitative analysis.

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