A produtividade lexical do sufixo - mente na Língua Portuguesa

Abstract

A study of word formation with the Portuguese suffix ‘-mente’. In the light of Chomsky’s lexical theory, we can apply word-formation rules (RFP’s) and structuralanalysis rules (RAE’s) to an adjectival base of lexemes, understanding adjective, not as a word class as treated by the traditional grammar, but as a syntactic function. Despite the lexical restrictions to the employment of the suffix ‘- mente’ to some lexematic bases, it is possible to use this suffix to form lexemes, which can be classified as adverbs, circunstancial elements, lexeme intensifiers, clause modifiers, nouns and interjections.