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3. DESCRIPTION AND FINDINGS
3.1 Description
The data of this paper are sentences taken from Mark Twains novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It is a remarkable American novel which was
first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work
is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local color regionalism.
After analyzing, the writer finds that Mark Twain, the author of the novel, uses gerund in different forms in his book; he also shows the gerund in
various functions. In the novel, the writer finds that there are many gerunds in various
forms. The forms are simple gerund, perfect gerund, active gerund, and passive gerund.
a. Simple gerund
As explained before, simple gerund is the gerund simply appearing after certain verb.
Examples: 1
Has everybody quit thinking the nigger done it? Here, the word thinking is the gerund; it is the object of the verb quit.
2 We went winding in and out amongst the trees.
Here, the word winding is the gerund because it comes after the verb went as object.
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b. Perfect gerund
There are some sentences expressing perfect gerund in the novel. Here, the word have + ing becomes the gerund.
Examples: 1
He regrets having done such a terrible thing. He regrets that he has done such a terrible thing.
2 They admit having stolen the money.
They admit that they have stolen the money.
c. Active gerund
Active gerund is the gerund that expresses active voice. There some samples found in the novel.
Examples:
1
I postponed going on vacation.
The word going is the gerund and the object of the verb postponed. 2
They keep looking at me seriously.
Here, looking is the gerund and used as the object of the verb keep.
d. Passsive gerund
Passive gerund is the gerund that expresses passive voice. It can be known whith the presence of the word being.
Examples: 1
I hatebeing lied to.
It means that I hate it when I am lied to.
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2
Sheloves being sentshopping.
Here, she loves every time she is sent to shop. From 8 functions of gerund, the author of the novel uses 7 of them. They
are gerund as subject, gerund as the object of verb, gerund as the object of preposition, gerund as complement, gerund as apposition, gerund after possessive
case, and gerund after certain idiomatic expression.
a Gerund as subject
In this function, the gerund is the subject: it has the same characteristics as a normal subject. There are some examples of this in the novel:
1 Shooting is good.
The word shooting is the gerund and becomes the subject of the sentence because it comes before the predicate is.
2 Stealing cattle and such things ain’t robbery.
Since it is noun, gerund can be plural, too.
b Gerund as object
1 The object of verb
A gerund can be the object of the sentence. Particularly, it may take place as the object of a verb.
Examples: 1
They stopped pulling. The word pulling, the gerund, is the object of the verb stopped.
2 They started riding towards the store.
The gerund is riding; it is the object of the verb started.
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2 The object of preposition
Gerund can also be the object of preposition such as to, in, on, about, etc. In the novel, there are some example of it fouund in the novel:
1 They can come without touching.
2 I just give up trying.
c Gerund as complement
Gerund as complement is usually preceded by to be. It may stand alone or have object or be modified by adverb.
Examples: 1
It was preety ornery preaching. 2
Well, she was in a tearing way. d
Gerund as apposition
Apposition means further information or a confirmation. It is usually a noun, noun phrase, or series of nouns placed next to another word or phrase to
identify or rename it. Nonrestrictive appositives are usually set off by commas, parentheses, or dashes. An appositive may be introduced by a word or phrase such
as namely, for example, or that is. Examples:
1 I gets up, a-wandering, and goes down stairs.
2 So we put on the day, lazying around.
e
Gerund after possessive case
As explained before, gerund is a noun, so we can modify it by using possessive case where the gerund is located after the possessive case.
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Examples: 1
Thinks I, this is what comes of my not thinking 2
They lost their steering-oar.
f Gerund after certain idiomatic expression
There are some common idiomatic expressions in English that can normally be followed by gerund.
Examples: 1
He said it warn’t no use talking. 2
They got so tame, on account of being hungry.
g Gerund to show prohibition
There is no gerund to show short prohibition found iun the novel.
3.2 Findings
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