No matter how hard they try to convince students that they will need the knowledge they gained in their school years in the future, unfortunately, this is not so. However, some of the things taught at school will actually come in handy in adulthood. For example, the ability to write correctly. To master it, you need to know the basic grammatical laws of the Russian language. Among them are the rules governing the use of dividing b and b characters.
A solid sign: history and its role in the word
The twenty-eighth letter of the Russian alphabet, despite the fact that it does not mean sounds, performs an important function in words. Therefore, before considering the rules governing the use of b and b signs, it is worth learning a little about its history and its role in the word.
A solid sign existed in Slavic languages almost from the very moment of their formation. At first it was a short vowel sound, until it turned into an unpronounceable letter, used to separate words into syllables, as well as replacing spaces.
At the end of the XIX century. It was noted that the frequent use of Kommersant in texts (4% of the total volume) is impractical, especially in telegraphy, cursive writing and typography. In this regard, more than once they tried to limit the use of a solid sign.
After the 1917 revolution, this letter was generally abolished by almost ten years. In those years, an apostrophe was used as a separator in words. However, in 1928 it was expelled from the Russian language (but preserved in Ukrainian and Belorussian), and its solid function was taken by the firm sign, which it continues to this day.
In what cases is put in the words
As for the use of a solid sign, that is, there are several rules for setting it before e, u, e, i:
- After prefixes that end in a consonant: a pre-anniversary connector.
- In terms that came from other languages, with the prefixes ab-, hell-, dis-, in-, inter-, con-, ob- and sub-: adjuvant, disjunction.
- After the counter-, pan-, super, trans- and feld-: pan-Europeanism, superyacht .
- In compound words starting with two-, three-, four-: dual-core, three-tiered, four-lingual.
There are several exceptions when b is not at the junction of the prefix and the root, but inside the word itself. These nouns include: courier and flaw.
When do not put
In addition to the rules governing the use of b and b signs, it is worth remembering the cases when they do not need to be set:
- A solid sign is not put in words with a prefix ending in a consonant when the vowels a, o, and, y, e, s follow after it: cloudless, curbed .
- This sign is not put in abbreviated terms: foreign language, chief jeweler .
- Nor is it put in hyphenated tokens: half a diocese, half a apple .
Considering the rules governing the use of b and b characters that perform a separating function in a word, it is worth remembering that the tokens "interior" and "clerk" are written through a soft sign. Such a spelling is no exception, since in the word "interior" inter is not a prefix, but part of the root. And in the “clerk” the prefix is not sub-, but-, but –deach is the root.
What functions does a soft sign perform?
As for b, in ancient times it meant a short vowel [and], but gradually, like b, it lost its sound.
In doing so, he retained the ability [and] to soften the preceding consonant sound.
Unlike a solid sign, soft in a word can perform 3 functions.
- Separating.
- Informs about the softness of the previous sound.
- Used to indicate some grammatical forms.
Rules for using a soft sign
Studying the laws of the Russian language governing the use of b and b signs , it is worth learning a few rules:
- A soft sign that performs a dividing function is never put after the prefix (this is the destiny of a hard sign). The parts of the words in which dividing b is written are the root, the suffix and the ending to e, e, y, i: monkey, interior . This rule applies to both Russian vocabulary and borrowed terms from other languages.
- The separator is put in some words before the letter combination: champignon, medallion, broth and million.
In the case when b informs about the softness of the previous sound, and does not perform a dividing function, its formulation is determined by the following rules:
- In the middle of the word, b indicates the softness of the letter l, if it is preceded by another consonant, except for l: finger, prayer . Also, a soft sign does not “wedge in” letter combinations: low, low, low, low, high, high, low, high, low ( drummer, candle ).
- In the middle of the word, this sign is placed between the soft and hard consonants: a request, very.
- In the middle of the word b can stand between two soft consonants. Provided that when the form of the word is changed, the first one remains soft, and the second one becomes hard: the request is in the request, the letter is in the letter .
- In some cases, this symbol is located at the end of the word after consonants. At the same time, it helps to establish the meaning of the lexeme: flax (plant) - laziness (quality of character), con (place for bets in the game) - horse (animal).
As a marker for individual grammatical forms, this sign is used in such cases:
- In the names of adjectives arising from the names of the months (except January): February, September.
- At the end of the numerals from 5 to 30, as well as in their midpoint, if they denote dozens from 50 to 80 and hundreds from 500 to 900: six, seventy, eight hundred.
- In the imperative mood of verbs (except lie down - lie down ): take out - take out, throw - throw.
- In the infinitive (the initial form of the verb): contain, grow.
- In all cases the words "eight" and in the instrumental case are multiplied. the numbers of individual numerals and nouns: six, lashes.
The use of b and b signs after hissing w, h, h, w
Following these soft letter characters is possible under the following conditions:
- At the end of most dialects and particles, with the exception of: already, unbearable, married, and on the pretext of inter .
- In the infinitive: protect, bake.
- In the imperative mood of the verbs: spread, comfort.
- At the end of the second person verbs of the singular future and present tenses: sell, carry.
- At the end of the nominative case of nouns. kind, in the third declension: daughter, power. For comparison, in m. Kind - cry, broadsword.
In some cases, b is not used after these letters:
- In nouns II declension: executioner, dummy.
- In short adjectives: fresh, hot.
- In the genitive case of plural nouns: puddles, clouds.
A solid sign after w, w, h, w is not put at the end of a word or root, since its “place” is always after the prefix before e, e, w, i.
Use of b and b signs: exercises
Having familiarized yourself with all cases of setting soft and hard signs, it is worth moving on to exercises. In order not to get confused, we have put together most of the above rules governing the use of b and b signs. The table below will serve as a hint for completing tasks.
In this exercise, you must choose which letter to put in the words.
This quest concerns the use of a soft sign following hissing letters. The brackets should be opened in it and, where necessary, put a soft sign.
In the last exercise, you need to write out the suggested words in 2 columns. In the first - those that are used with b, in the second - those that are without it.
Despite the fact that both hard and soft characters are "dumb" letters, they play an important role in the Russian language. You can make many mistakes in your written speech if you do not know the laws of grammar governing the use of b and b characters. There is more than one rule to learn, so as not to confuse which of the signs should be placed in a particular situation. However, it is worth it, especially in the case of a soft sign, because often only its presence helps to determine the lexical meaning of the word.