There are questions the answer to which is obvious. What is a phrase? It would seem that the definition is embedded in the structure of this term. A combination of words - what else? That is true, but a complete definition sounds a little more complicated.
Definition
The phrase in Russian, as in any other, is a syntactic construction consisting of the main and dependent component, which are essentially significant parts of speech and are interconnected. Not every pair of words forms a similar structure. There is an equal connection, for example, between the subject and the predicate, which are not a phrase, but already constitute the grammatical basis of the sentence. The forms of the future tense of the verb, the degree of comparison of adjectives, nouns with prepositions, as well as phraseological units are also not phrases. This must be considered when parsing a sentence.
There is a classification of phrases depending on the core or main component. There are such types as verbal, adjective, substantive and adverbial constructions. In them, the core components are, respectively, a verb, an adjective, in the third case, a noun, numeral or pronoun, and in the latter case, an adverb or an adjective in a comparative degree.
In sentences, dependent elements can carry the function of secondary members - definitions, circumstances and additions. According to this role, they belong to one of three types according to the criterion of semantic relations. The division occurs accordingly into definitive, circumstantial and object phrases. By the number of components, simple and complex types are distinguished. But why are they needed at all?
The role of the dependent component
It is difficult to express one’s thought, leaving only the subject and predicate in the sentence. In addition to losing a significant part of the content, such designs look dry and faceless. Such proposals, in which there are no secondary members at all, are called non-distributed. Even if it is necessary to speak as briefly and succinctly as possible, for example, when preparing a report or a report, it is extremely difficult to manage without definitions, circumstances and additions. What can we say about the colloquial style in which value judgments are regularly used. In addition, they allow you to make speech more lively, beautiful and connected.
Correlation of phrases with the word
What is the main language unit? Word, concept, term. Phrases and sentences are composed of them. It is through them that people express their thoughts. In this case, what is a phrase? Yes, of course, it is a bunch of several concepts, but for the most part it fulfills the named function. Compared to the word, it provides more detailed information and is generally more informative. That is, the semantic function of the phrase lies between the nominative and the sentence. At its core, it is a unique linguistic unit that combines the characteristics of both one and the other.
Matching phrase to sentence
People express their thoughts through suggestions. And they are the main independent syntactic unit. The phrase does not express a complete thought, does not have the purpose of expression, as well as semantic completeness and some other signs. In general, as already mentioned, it carries, rather, a call function, which puts it closer to the nominative. The phrase and sentence can be homonymous, that is, they sound the same, but they will not be equal to each other, since the first is devoid of a grammatical basis.
Syntax Linkage
Due to the fact that parts of speech can be inclined or conjugated, as well as take other types of forms, it becomes possible to make phrases and sentences. In phrases between components, a certain subordinate connection arises on the basis of the lexical and grammatical properties of individual elements. Even in the same phrase, the same syntactic unit can at different times play the role of both the main and the dependent component. Thus, in the sentence there are relations of phrases with each other due to this, and also because of the diversity of their types, it looks solid and logical. This is how speech is built.
Types of communication
Philologists distinguish 3 types: coordination, management and adjacency. All these types of communication in phrases have their own characteristic features and signs. The most obvious is to parse them on the example of the sentence "Little girl quickly runs for the ball."
Coordination is characterized by the fact that, as a rule, an adjective acts as a dependent element. When the core component changes, the second will also change. So such a phrase does not present difficulties in determining the type of connection. An example is the "little girl", if you change the case of the main element "girl", then, in accordance with it, the case and the dependent component will change.
Management is another type of communication. With it, the dependent component also takes some form, however, when declining or conjugating the core element, it does not change anymore. An example is running for the ball. The main part can take any form, but the case of the dependent word will remain unchanged - instrumental. This type of connection also implies the use of prepositions, if necessary, especially with the structure “verb + noun” or “noun + noun”, respectively, “play football” and “reading books”.
Finally, another view is the abutment. As a rule, the structure of phrases with this type of connection is as follows - "verb + adverb". An example is running fast. There are no changes with the dependent word, since the adverb does not change in any way, so the connection is only semantic, without a grammatical component. Morphological dependence is absent.
Composing Link
Some philologists acknowledge the existence of phrases in which the components are equal. Composing connection, for example, is inherent in homogeneous members that relate to one core element. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that such a phrase without a dependent component is not universally recognized in the Russian language and is considered as such by only a small number of linguists.
Complex communication types
Despite significant differences in the characteristic features of coordination, control, and adjacency, it is not always possible to clearly distinguish them. For example, there are syntactically free and not free (integral) phrases. The first include those that can be easily divided into component components, but in the second case, everything is much more complicated. Syntactically non-free phrases cannot be broken down into elements because they lose their meaning. Such examples include “two sisters,” “plenty of space,” “a couple of hours,” etc. A sentence with a phrase of this type is syntactically analyzed without dividing the problem phrase into elements. That is, in this case, it is perceived as a whole unit.
By the way, isolated sentence members, for example, participial phrases and subordinate definitives, despite the formal signs of maintaining a syntactic connection, cannot be part of a phrase. The relations between the conditionally pivotal and dependent parts acquire a semi-predictive, that is, more equal character. Despite the fact that the common definitions expressed by the participle turnover, including the case, are consistent with the main component, this is only a morphological connection that preserves the integrity of the sentence.