Grammatical Approaches to Prepositions, Adverbs, Conjunctions, and Particles in Late Modern English

Abstract

Current shift of linguistic paradigms and loss of interest in previously mainstream ‘parts of speech theory’ do not imply that all ambiguity and outstanding issues have been challenged and successfully solved. On the contrary, these issues have been put on pause, as linguists, coming to naught and being unable to set forward a univocal, straightforward solution, started refocusing their scientific pursuits. Nevertheless, the problem of parts of speech overlapping has remained of vital importance, even if it is in the background of linguistic research. This issue must be addressed from the theoretical and practical perspectives. The present study attempts to give a theoretical overview of grammatical approaches to prepositions, adverbs, conjunctions, and particles which were prevailing in the Late Modern English grammar. The analysis is based on 400 English grammar books, published over the period of Late Modern English, and is divided into three sections in conformity with certain historical periods, viz. 1700–1799, 1800–1849, 1850–1899, respectively. The research presents the major tendencies towards identification of the aforementioned categories, which characterize each historical period in English grammar and explain the current state of affairs in the parts of speech theory, providing theoretical background for further practical research on the parts of speech overlapping.