Classification of word formation categories in Latin adjectives

In contemporary Ukrainian classical philology, the class of Latin adjectives is represented only fragmentarily. Analysing Latin adjectives through the lens of modern word formation theory enriches existing research in the theoretical grammar of classical languages. The objective of this study was to identify the word formation categories of Latin adjectives and elucidate the mechanisms of their derivational representation. The research employed selective, the word formation approach, descriptive and valence-distribution methods to analyse, systematise, classify and study the syntactic features of Latin adjectives. It is substantiated that the functional features of adjectives, which reflect its ability to express a static feature of an object, are fundamental for understanding its semantic and grammatical characteristics as a part of speech and the author distinguishes between primary adjectives that convey a qualitative feature, have a root and an ending and secondary adjectives that reflect a complex feature, are derivative in nature and contain prefixes or suffixes. The findings revealed that the cornerstone of Latin adjectival word formation is the derivative adjective. New lexical meanings in these adjectives are primarily conveyed through suffixes, while prefixes provide additional semantic shades. Word formation categories unite various derivative adjectives that share a common base and derivational meaning, formed through suffixation, prefixation, or a combination of both. Suffixes and prefixes function to modify the intensity of the attribute expressed by the adjectival root, indicating either an augmented or diminished degree of the attribute's manifestation. Eight word-forming categories of Latin adjectives are distinguished: insufficient degree of feature expression; excessive intensity of feature; subjective quality assessment; visitativity; temporal attributivity; locative attributivity; order; degrees of comparison. The degrees of comparison stand apart from the other categories, as they span three grammatical levels: word formation, syntax, and morphology. This study deepens the understanding of the Latin system of adjectival word formation, shedding light on both the formal mechanisms of its realisation and the semantic interpretations of the derived lexical units. The results of this research can serve as a foundation for further theoretical inquiries into the derivational processes of Latin