P l a n

1.Verbal Characteristics

2. Nominal Characteristics

3. Ways of translating Gerundial Constructions

THE GERUND

The gerund is the non-finite form of the verb which, like the infinitive, combines the properties of the verb with those of the noun. Similar to the infinitive, the gerund serves as the verbal name of a process, but its substantive quality is more strongly pronounced than that of the infinitive. Namely, as different from the infinitive, and similar to the noun, the gerund can be modified by a noun in the possessive case or its pronominal equivalents (expressing the subject of the verbal process), and it can be used with prepositions.

Since the gerund, like the infinitive, is an abstract name of the process denoted by the verbal lexeme, a question might arise, why the infinitive, and not the gerund is taken as the head-form he verbal lexeme as a whole, its accepted representative in the lexicon.

As a matter of fact, the gerund cannot perform the function of the paradigmatic verbal head-form for a number of reasons. In the first place, it is more detached from the finite verb than the infinitive semantically, tending to be a far more substantival unit categorially. Then, as different; the infinitive, it does not join in the conjugation of the finite verb. Unlike the infinitive, it is a suffixal form, which makes it less generalized than the infinitive in terms of the formal properties of the verbal lexeme (although it is more abstract in the purely semantic sense). Finally, it is less definite than the infinitive from the lexico-grammatical point of view, being subject to easy neutralizations in its opposition with the verbal noun in -ing, as well as with the present participle. Hence, the gerund is no rival of the infinitive in the paradigmatic head-form function.

The general combinability of the gerund, like that of the infinitive, is dual, sharing some features with the verb, and some features with the noun. The verb-type combinability of the gerund is displayed in its combining, first, with nouns expressing the object of the action; second, modifying adverbs; third, with certain semi-functional predicator verbs, but other than lal. Of the noun-type is the combinability of the gerund, first, with finite notional verbs as the object of the action; second, with finite notional verbs as the prepositional adjunct of various functions; third, with finite notional verbs as the subject of the action; fourth, with nouns as the positional adjunct of various functions.

The gerund, in the corresponding positional patterns, performs the functions of all the types of notional sentence-parts, i.e. the subject, the object, the predicative, the attribute, the adverbial modifier. E.g.:

Repeating your accusations over and over again doesn't make them more convincing. (Gerund subject position). No wonder he delayed breaking the news to Uncle Jim. (Gerund direct object position). She could not give her mind to pressing wild flowers in Pauline's botany book. (Gerund addressee object position). Joe felt annoyed at being shied by his room-mates. (Gerund prepositional object position). You know what luck is? Luck is believing you're lucky. (Gerund predicative position). Fancy the pleasant prospect of listening to all the gossip they've in store for you! (Gerund attributive position). He could not push against the furniture without bringing the whole lot down. (Gerund adverbial of manner position).

One of the specific gerund patterns is its combination with the noun in the possessive case or its possessive pronominal equivalent expressing the subject of the action. This gerundial construction is used in cases when the subject of the gerundial process differs from the subject of the governing sentence-situation, i.e. when the gerundial sentence-part has its own, separate subject. E.g.:

Powell's being rude like that was disgusting. How can she know about the Mortons' being connected with this unaccountable affair? Will he ever excuse our having interfered?

The possessive with the gerund displays one of the distinctive categorial properties of the gerund as such, establishing it in the English lexemic system as the form of the verb with nounal characteristics. As a matter of fact, from the point of view of the inner semantic relations, this combination is of a verbal type, while from the point of view of the formal categorial features, this combination is of a nounal type. It can be clearly demonstrated by the appropriate transformations, i.e. verb-related and noun-related re-constructions. E.g.:

I can't stand his criticizing artistic works that are beyond his competence.

(T-verbal —> He is criticizing artistic works. T-nounal —> His criticism of artistic works.)

Bsides combining with the possessive noun-subject, the verbal ing-form can also combine with the noun-subject in the common case or its objective pronominal equivalent. E.g.: I read in yesterday's paper about the hostages having been released. The formal sign of the gerund is wholly homonymous with that of the present participle: it is the suffix -ing added to its grammatically (categorially) leading element.

Like the infinitive, the gerund is a categorially changeable (variable, demutative) form; it distinguishes the two grammatical categories, sharing them with the finite verb and the present participle, namely, the aspective category of retrospective coordination (perfect in opposition), and the category of voice (passive in opposition). Consequently, the categorial paradigm of the gerund of the objective verb includes four forms: the simple active, the perfect active; the simple passive, the perfect passive. E.g.: taking-having taken-being taken - having been taken.

The gerundial paradigm of the non-objective verb, correspondingly, includes two forms. E.g.: going - having gone.

The perfect forms of the gerund are used, as a rule, only in semantically strong positions, laying special emphasis on the meaningful categorial content of the form.

Ways of translation. There is no verbal form in Ukrainian similar to the English gerund. To render its meaning the translator has the following alternatives:

1) a noun: Heating opper from 0 °С to 100 °С increases its resistance about 40%. — Нагрівання міді від 0°С до 100°С збільшує опір до 40%. For measuring the atmospheric pressure a barometer is used. — Для вимірювання атмосферного тиску використовують барометр. In this figure you can see a diagram of recording temperature. На цьому малюнку зображена діаграма запису температури.

2) an infinitive: Measuring resistance is necessary in many experiments. — Вимірювати опір необхідно в багатьох дослідах. They succeeded in removing all the obstacles. - Їм вдалося подолати всі труднощі. It is conventional starting the engine after it: being heated. —Прийнято запускати двигун коли він нагріється.

3) a participle (дієприслівник): Неat may be produced by burning coal, gas or any other fuel. - Тепло можна отримати, спалюючи вугілля, газ або будь-яке інше паливо. On finding that the estimation of these coefficients involves a number of uncertainties, he couldn't make any definite generalizations — Виявивши, що обчислення цих коефіцієнтів пов'язане з низкою невизначеностей, він не міг зробити жодних конкретних узагальнень.

4) a finite verb form in a subordinate clause: During the test I need recording temperature immediately — У процесі досліду мені потрібно, щоб негайно реєстрували температуру. After having checked the temperature twice he decided to change conditions of the experiment. — Після того, як він двічі перевірив температуру, він вирішив змінити умови експерименту. In spite of not having any university education, Faraday made his great discoveries. — Незважаючи на те, що Фарадей не мав університетської освіти, він зробив великі вікриття.

The way you choose often depends on the function of the gerund in the sentence.