Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns present a group of words of various semantics and structure. They may be structurally simple (some, any), complex (either), compound (something, anything).

In meaning pronouns belonging to this group can be divided into

· partitive: some, any

· assertive (местоимения, утверждающие наличие): some, somebody, both, either

· non-assertive (местоимения некатегоричной констатации): any, anyone, anybody, another

· negative: none, no one, neither, nobody.

· quantifying: enough, few, little, many, much, several.

These pronouns can be used as the subject, direct object, or indirect object of a clause, or the object of a preposition.

Some indefinite pronouns function equally to the nominative case of the noun they replace, some other pronouns can occupy a syntactic position typical only of a possessive case form of a personal pronoun.

Not all pronouns of this group share the same grammatical, morphological properties and distinctions: few, much, many are declinable (fewer, more, most, less).

Semantically all these pronouns imply plurality of objects, mass, people they replace and refer to. This reference is supported grammatically and syntactically by a corresponding form of a verb, singular or plural.