Definition
A grammatical category is a set of syntactic features that:
- express meanings from the same conceptual domain
- occur in contrast to each other
- are typically expressed in the same fashion
Discussion
The term ‘grammatical category’ has been used to cover a wide variety of things, including what traditional grammars call "parts of speech."
Examples
(English)
- A set of verb affixes that express aspect
- A set of auxiliary verbs that express modality
Kinds
More specific concepts within grammatical category.
Sources 3
- Crystal 1985, 43–44
- Hopper, P. 1992, 81
- Bybee 1985, 191