The Paradigmatic and Syntagmatic of the Adjective in Swiss German

Abstract

This paper examines mechanisms found in verbal fixation of the national specifics of the Swiss German language based on a categorical-grammatical group of adjectives related to a wide association of signified words. The objects of the analysis are adjectives collected from lexicographic sources as well as
 journalistic and artistic texts by the continuous sampling method.
 The main attention is paid to the features of the qualitative composition and semantic valence compatibility of segmental root and non-root derivational morphemes within the two main word-formation models of adjectives that are
 characteristic of the modern German language in its synchronous state, they are derivatives and composites. The functioning of adjectives in phraseological units
 is also analyzed. This group consists mainly of single-morpheme root lexemes. Phraseological units used as a research material allows us to more fully represent the functional potential of adjectives in the linguistic and cultural aspect.
 The study concludes that in Swiss German, compared to the German language, root morphemes and postfixes more widely realize their potential of mutual compatibility, which leads to an enrichment of paradigmatic meanings and reveals additional discursive and pragmatic adjective values of Swiss German.