THE PROBLEM OF SUBSTANTIVATION OF ENGLISH ADJECTIVES

The article examines the problem of substantivation of English adjectives as a complex process situated between morphology, syntax, semantics and discourse. Substantivation is interpreted as the use of an adjective in a nominal function, either through full conversion into a noun or through partial nominal use in noun phrases such as the rich, the unemployed, the elderly and the unknown. The article analyzes the grammatical status of substantivized adjectives, their semantic classes, syntactic behavior, article usage, number interpretation and stylistic functions.