Category: Learn/Brainstorm/Try

Goal: Consider what verbs are allowed in quotative constructions Note: Some languages allow more flexible quoting verb options. Tip: Quoting verb variety can be genre-dependent. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal is to consider whether you want to allow more flexible quoting verb options within your quotative constructions. In some languages, very few verbs participate in…

Goal: Brainstorm ways to distinguish direct from indirect speech Note: You can consider verb choice, subordinator(s), and grammatical features. Tip: These can be distinguished in the quotative and/or the reported speech. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal is to explore and brainstorm strategies specifically for distinguishing direct from indirect speech. One option is not to distinguish…

Goal: Explore options for indicating (in)direct speech Note: These strategies offer speakers a way to indicate they are reporting speech. Tip: Useful terms include “quotative” and “attribute tag.” Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Languages often have ways for speakers to indicate when they are sharing information someone else had previously said—ways of indicating reported speech. When telling…

Goal: Explore options for superlative adverb forms Note: Now consider adverbs in superlative situations, like “most joyfully.” Tip: Manner adverbs are most likely to participate in comparative/superlative constructions. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal builds on yesterday’s explorations by adding superlative adverb forms. Consider how your language might express meanings like “The bear jumped farthest” or…

Goal: Explore options for comparative adverb forms Note: You can consider adverbs how adverbs might be comparative, like “more quickly.” Tip: You may use the same forms/constructions, create different ones, or disallow adverbs to participate in such a construction. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal is to brainstorm options for comparing adverbs, especially manner adverbs, in…

Goal: Brainstorm ideas for superlative strategies Note: This may mean creating new inflections, adverbs, and/or clausal strategies. Tip: Superlatives include examples like “The mouse is smallest” or “The rabbit is most beautiful.” Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal focuses on a feature related to comparative strategies: strategies for forming a superlative, or a comparison of the…

Goal: Decide if comparative forms can be used attributively Note: Consider if you’ll allow noun phrases like “the faster turtle.” Tip: Your strategy may require other types of modifiers in the noun phrase, like an adposition phrase. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Some languages allow comparative forms to be embedded as modifiers inside a noun phrase. For…

Goal: Brainstorm ideas for comparative strategies for adjectives Note: This may mean creating new inflections, adverbs, and/or clausal strategies. Tip: Not all languages have specific comparative forms or structures. Figure out what works best for you! Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal is to brainstorm (and research) ideas for comparative strategies for adjectives. In some languages,…

Goal: Brainstorm options for non-finite/reduced adverbial clauses Note: These are participial or infinitival structures that function adverbially rather than as nominals or modifiers. Tip: Like adverb clauses, these are non-embedded forms that add to the information without structural incorporation. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try You have already considered and created non-finite structures that function as modifiers and…

Goal: Explore options for headless relative clause forms Note: These include structures like “I’ll go wherever you go” or “Love what you do.” Tip: These may be similar to your non-embedded clause forms or to your relative clause strategies. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Take some time to explore options for handling headless relative clause situations in…