105
Nominalization of adjectives
Textbook: p. 157
GoalUnderstand and find substantivized adjectives in sentences.
New words
substantivization · otlashishadjective · sifatsubject · ega
Explanation
A noun that an adjective modifies is sometimes dropped in a sentence. Then its meaning passes to the adjective, which becomes a noun. A substantivized adjective takes plural, possessive and case suffixes and plays a noun’s role: subject, object, predicate. For example, instead of Katta odamlar kichik bolalarga yordam beradi we say Kattalar kichiklarga yordam beradi (The big ones help the small ones, i.e. adults help children). In Qizil olmani emas, sariqni tanla (Choose not the red apple but the yellow one) sariqni is substantivized. We decide by its function in the sentence.
Worked examples
The good tells apart the bad (a good person distinguishes the bad).
The young learn from the old.
Class activity
“Drop the noun”: drop the noun from phrases and substantivize the adjective (Yosh bolalar → Yoshlar).
Practice
1
When does an adjective become a noun?
When its noun is dropped and the meaning passes to the adjective.
2
Find the substantivized adjectives: Kattalar kichiklarga yordam beradi.
Kattalar, kichiklarga.
3
Make a substantivized form from yosh bolalar.
Yoshlar.
4
Why does kattalar have a plural suffix?
Because it is substantivized and takes -lar like a noun.