Središnje i periferno u gramatici hrvatskoga jezika

In this paper we focus on what is central and what is peripheral in the grammatical structure of the Croatian language, in particular on the grammatical categories of number, aspect and word classes. With respect to the category of number, the relationship between singular and plural is central, while the periphery consists of other ways of expressing quantity relations (number as a word class, collectiveness, substantivity). With respect to the category of aspect, the opposition imperfective – perfective is central, while the periphery consists of Aktionsart. With respect to word classes, the basic word classes are central, while the periphery consists of hybrid forms and/or hybrid word classes (e.g. participles, infinitive, gerunds, pronominal adjectives and pronominal adverbs, etc.). Finally, we will discuss the central and the peripheral in phonology and semantics (as peripheral areas in relation to grammar).