Particle

小词

A term used in grammatical description to refer to an invariable item with grammatical function, especially one which does not readily fit into a standard classification of parts of speech. In English, for example, the marker of the infinitive, to, is often called a particle because, despite its surface similarity to a preposition, it really has nothing in common with it. Likewise, the unique characteristics of not have prompted some to label it a ‘negative particle’, and the units in phrasal verbs are often called ‘verbal particles’.

语法描写用来指具有语法功能的不变形词项，特别指那些不容易归入词类标准分类的词；常缩写为PRT或part。例如英语里的不定式标记to常称作小词，因为它尽管表面形式像介词，实际跟介词没有共同之处。同样，not的独特性也使有些人将它称作“否定小词”，短语动词中的附接单位也常称作“动词性小词”。