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368

Hanoi open university

Faculty of English
*****

Graduation paper
b. a degree in English

A new approach to semantic and syntactic functions of English

adjectives – A contrastive analysis with their Vietnamese
equivalents

Supervisor : hoµng TuyÕt minh, m.a

student : nguyÔn thÞ nga
date of birth : 13/ 08/ 1985
course : k11a (2004- 2008)

Hanoi- 2008
Graduation paper

Declaration

Title: A new approach to semantic and syntactic functions of English

adjectives – A contrastive analysis with their Vietnamese equivalents
(Graduation paper submitted in partial fulfillment for B.A Degree in
English)
I certify that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced by
me from any other person’s work without acknowledgements and that report
is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor.

Date submitted: May 2008

Student Supervisor

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Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my supervisor,

Mrs Hoang Tuyet Minh. She is the person who made clear my confuse initial
ideas, step by step guiding me during my writing graduation paper. I could
finally complete my graduation. I own her a debt of gratitude that cannot be
measured.
Secondly, I would like to give my thanks to Dean and Leading Board of
English faculty, who gave me opportunities to study and do my graduation
paper. I would also give my deepest gratitude to all lectures of English faculty
at Hanoi Open University for their enthusiastic teaching during my four_ year
study. They gave me not only knowledge but also the precious experience in
life.
Thirdly, I should also express many thanks to my dear friends who have
shared with me a lot during my studies and my research work as well.
Constantly, rather than final, I would like to send my great thanks to all
members in my family for their support and encouragement during my study.

Hanoi, May 2008

Student: Nguyen Thi Nga

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Chapter I: Introduction......................................................................................1
1.1 Rationale................................................................................................1
1.2 Aims of the study....................................................................................2
1.3 Scope of the study..................................................................................2
1.4 Methods of the study..............................................................................3
1.5 Design of the study.................................................................................3
Chapter II: An overview of English adjectives.............................................4
2.1 What is an adjective?...............................................................................4
2.2 Semantic functions of English adjectives................................................5
2.2.1 Stative and dynamic adjectives.....................................................5
2.2.2 Gradable and non- gradable adjectives............................................6
2.2.3 Inherent and non- inherent...............................................................7
2.3 Syntactic functions of English adjectives............................................9
2.3.1 Attributive adjectives...................................................................10
2.3.2 Predicative adjectives...................................................................12
2.3.3 Adjectives function as head of a noun phrase............................14
2.3.3.1 Well- known groups..............................................................15
2.3.3.2 Adjectives referring to abstract ideas..................................16
2.3.4 Supplementative adjective clauses..............................................17
2.2.5 Exclamatory adjective sentence..................................................20
2.4 Summary..............................................................................................20
Chapter III: A new approach to SEMANTIC AND Syntactic functions
of English Adjectives.....................................................................................22
3.1 Classification of English adjectives in terms of their usage............22
3.2. Classification in terms of their semantic functions.........................27
3.2.1 Gradable and non-gradable adjectives......................................27
3.2.2 Stative and dynamic adjectives...................................................29
3.3 Classification in terms of syntactic functions...................................30
3.3.1 Attributive.....................................................................................30
3.3.1.1 Adjectives as premodification..............................................31
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3.3.1.2 Adjectives as postmodification.............................................31

3.3.2 Predicative.....................................................................................32
3.3.3 Adjectives as head of a noun phrase...........................................33
3.3.4 Supplementary adjective clause..................................................34
Chapter IV: A contrastive analysis between English and their
Vietnamese equivalents.................................................................................36
4.1 Some features of contrastive analysis in learning a foreign language
.....................................................................................................................36
4.2 An overview of Vietnamese adjectives..............................................37
4.3 A contrastive analysis between English and Vietnamese adjectives
.....................................................................................................................38
4.3.1 In terms of their syntactic functions...........................................38
4.3.2 In terms of their order.................................................................42
Chapter V: Conclusion....................................................................................45
References

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Abbreviations

Adj : adjective
C : complement
Co : object complement
Cs : subject complement
NP :noun phrase
O : objective
Prep. p :preposition phrase
S : subject
V : verb
~ :equivalent to
* : wrong sentence
 : without verb

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Chapter I
Introduction

1.1 Rationale
Nowadays, English is considered as one of the most popular language
for everyone all over the world. There are many problems in learning English
as listening, speaking, reading, writing, Grammar, lexicology, etc. Grammar
plays a very important role in English, it is not easy for English learners to
study. Moreover, learners are affected by their mother tongue during the
process of studying that cause much confusion to them. However, it is not so
difficult that English learners can not study because English grammar is also
systematic.
In grammar, Adjective is one of essential parts of speech to form a
sentence. Adjective is frequently used in daily life such as describing things,
objects,… or expressing feeling, emotion, etc. As well known, English
adjectives are diversified in many forms, meanings as well as usages. It
takes learners quite a long time to understand grammar deeply, especially
adjectives. It therefore seems that the semantic and syntactic function of
adjectives are still too difficult for students.
So the writer researches the semantic and syntactic function of English
adjectives with the hope that the writer’s graduation paper will contribute a
small part on enriching the source of materials, and it hopes that students be
able to further understand about semantic and syntactic function of English
adjectives as well as partly avoid making errors when studying these matters.
In the writer’s point of view in order to use English effectively, studying
grammar is essential requirement because English Grammar is one of the
most difficult subject. It is said that study of English grammar could improve
the ability of other skills like listening, speaking, reading, writing, …

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Mastering English grammar helps us to use the language correctly and

effectively. That is why the writer chooses studying one aspect of English
grammar for the graduation paper, particularly adjectives in English. The
writer decided to study a new approach to semantic and syntactic functions of
English adjective, apart from that making a contrastive analysis with their
Vietnamese equivalents. The writer hopes that this thesis will be helpful for
the learners in their studying and after reading the graduation paper, many
students will be interested in searching and developing this topic in order that
the matter of semantic and syntactic function of English adjectives will be
clearer and more well-provided than those presented in the graduation paper.

1.2 Aims of the study

In the frame of the graduation paper, the writer would like to focus on:
- Making a general view on definition of adjectives in general and
focusing on discussing matters in relation to semantic and syntactic functions
of English adjectives in particular.
- Classifying kinds of English adjectives in terms of their usage.
- Making a contrastive analysis between English adjectives and their
Vietnamese equivalents.

1.3 Scope of the study

English grammar is a large field that can not be mentioned all,
therefore, the writer only mentioned to some small aspect of English
grammar, that is English adjectives.
In the frame of the study, this graduation paper deals with the semantic
and syntactic functions of English adjectives, especially the classification of
adjective semantic features in terms of their usage as well as presents a
contrastive analysis between English adjectives with their Vietnamese
equivalents.

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1.4 Methods of the study

This study mainly based on scientific theories about English adjectives,
the writer has to collect materials and finds the most suitable ones to
systematize as well as analyze them. The main methods of the graduation
paper are:
Firstly, descriptive method is used to describe and make a general
overview of English adjectives in terms of their semantic and syntactic
functions.
Secondly, statistic method is used to gather information about English
adjectives, apart from that giving the study points of view of this thesis.
Finally, contrastive analysis method is used to make a comparison
between English adjectives and their Vietnamese equivalents.

1.5 Design of the study

To gain the above goals, the graduation paper is divided into five
chapters and reference part.
Chapter I is the introduction, including the reasons for choosing the
title, aims and objectives, scope, methods and design of the study.
Chapter II introduces an overview of English adjectives with the
definitions of adjectives and their semantic and syntactic functions of English
adjectives.
Chapter III is a study to a new approach to semantic and syntactic
functions of English adjectives.
Chapter IV is to make a contrastive analysis between English
adjectives and their Vietnamese equivalents, pointing out the similarities and
differences of English adjectives.
Chapter V is the conclusion part, giving brief findings of all the above
sections.

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References come at the end of the graduation paper.

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Chapter II
An overview of English adjectives
2.1 What is an adjective?
When talking about adjectives, many grammarians have many
different definitions as follows:
According to L. G. Alexander (1998, 106), a word is considered as an
adjective when it describes the person, thing,… which a noun refers to or
describes the ideas contained in the whole group of words, as in :
Professor Robert’s lecture on environment was fascinating.
Many adjectives can answer the question what… like ?
What’s Tom like?( to look at)
He is dark/ short/ tall. (Alexander 1998, 106)
However, as the opinions of Quirk et al, “ we usually can not tell a
word is an adjective by looking at it in isolation because the form of a word
doesn’t necessarily indicate its syntactic function. Nor can we identify a word
as an adjective merely from its potentials for inflexion ” (1973,114). As for
them, a word is commonly considered an adjective if it has at least one of four
criteria:
It can freely occur in attributive function, i. e they can premodify a
noun, appearing between the determiner and the head of a noun phrase as in:
an oval face a beautiful girl the round table
It can freely occur in predicative function, i. e they can function as
subjective complement or as object complement:
The girl is attractive.
I guess the girl attractive. (Quirk et al 1973, 116)
They can be modified by the intensifier very. For example:
The new house is very large.
She is very happy now.

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It can take comparative and superlative forms. The comparison may

be by means of inflections (-er, -est), or by the addition of the premodifiers
more and most or called periphrastic. Let’s see the following examples:
Ho Chi Minh is the most wonderful city in Vietnam.
Lan is more charming than other classmates.
The children are happier now. ( Quirk et al 1973, 115 )
To sum up, adjective is one of four elements of open class items
(noun, adjective, adverb, verb), which belongs to part of speech in English
grammar, and adjectives are words expressing quality, quantity, size, colour,
characteristics, etc.

2.2 Semantic functions of English adjectives

According to researches, adjectives are classified into stative and
dynamic, gradable and non- gradable as follows:
2.2.1 Stative and dynamic adjectives
According to the opinion of Quirk et al, As their name suggests,
stative adjective denote “a state or condition, which may generally be
consider permanent” (124), such as big, red, tall, etc. Stative adjectives can
not normally be used in imperative constructions:
* Be big/ red/ tall.
* He is being red/ big/ tall. ( Quirk et al 1973, 124)
In contrast, dynamic adjectives denote attributes which are, to some
extent at least, “under the control of the one who possesses them”(Quirk et al
1973, 124). For instance, brave denotes an attribute which may not always be
in evidence (as unlike red), but which may be called upon as it is required.
For this reason, it is appropriate to use it in an imperative.
Be brave.
Don’t be afraid.. (Quirk et al 1973, 124)
Adjectives that can be used dynamically include: awkward, brave,
calm, careless, cruel, funny, good, noisy, timid, etc.(Quirk at al 1973, 124)

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All dynamic adjectives can be used in imperatives such as be careful,

don’t be cruel, and they can also be use predicatively in progressive tense:
Your son is being disruptive in class.
He is being careful.
We are being very patient with you.
The majority of adjectives are stative. The stative or dynamic
contrast, as it related to adjectives, is largely a semantic one, though as we
have seen it also has syntactic implications.
2.2.2 Gradable and non- gradable adjectives
According to L. G. Alexander (1988, 108) adjectives can be also
divided into gradable and non- gradable.
Gradable adjectives mean “a large class of words which can be
graded, or in other words, they can be modified by intensifiers and include
comparison such as very young, young, younger, the youngest…”
An adjective is gradable when:
_ We can imagine degrees in the quality referred to and so can use it
with words like very, too and enough. Let’s see the followings examples:
Your work is good.
Your work is very good.
Mary has been very ill.
_ We can form a comparative and superlative from it as big, bigger,
biggest, etc.
Non- gradable adjectives are a small class that can not be graded or in
other words, principally technical adjectives and adjectives denoting
provenance such as atomic, hydrochloric, British…
According to L. G. Alexander (1988, 108) an adjective is non-
gradable when:
_ We can not modify it, it means that we can not use it with very, too,
…

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_ We can not make a comparative or superlative from it such as daily,

dead, medical, unique, etc.
2.2.3 Inherent and non- inherent
Based on Quirk et al’s point of view (1973,125), some adjectives are
classified into inherent and non- inherent.
Most attributive adjectives denote some attribute of the noun which
they modify. For instance, the phrase a red car may be said to denote a car
which is red. In fact most adjective- noun sequences such as this can be
loosely reformulated in a similar way, for example:
an old man ~ a man who is old
difficult questions ~ questions which are difficult
round glasses ~ glasses which are round
This applies equally to postpositive adjectives as:
Something understood ~ something which is understood
The people responsible ~ the people who are responsible
In each case the adjective denotes an attribute or quality of the noun,
as the reformulations show. Adjectives of this type are known as inherent
adjectives. The attribute they denote is , as it were, inherent in the noun which
they modify.
However, not all adjectives are related to the noun in the same way.
For example, the adjective small in a small businessman does not describe an
attribute of the businessman. It can not be reformulated as a businessman who
is small. Instead, it refers to a businessman whose business is small. We refer
to adjectives of this type as non- inherent adjectives. They refer less directly
to an attribute of the noun than inherent adjectives do.
Whether or not an adjective is inherent or non- inherent, it may
involve relation to an implicit or explicit standard, such as in a big mouse, the
adjective big is inherent, the meaning is the relative size of mice, contrast a

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little mouse and in a big fool, the adjective big is non- inherent, the meaning
is degrees of foolishness, contrast a bit of a fool.
Here are some more examples, showing the contrast between inherent
and non- inherent:
Inherent Non- inherent
distant hills distant relatives
a complete chapter a complete idiot
a heavy burden a heavy smoker
a social survey a social animal
an old man an old friend

( wikipedia.com viewed on March 10, 2008)

Some adjectives can come before or after nouns, which may change
meaning or may not change meaning of adjective. The following is some
cases denoting the position of adjectives ( with or without change in
meaning).
Adjectives come before or after nouns, which may not change in
meaning: some adjectives, mostly ending in –able and –ible can come before
or after nouns and usually with no change in meaning such as available,
eligible, imaginable, taxable, possible, impossible, etc. Let’s consider the
above examples:
I doubt whether we can complete our contract in the time
available/ in the available time.(1)
We have to exploit all available potential/ all potential available
in our country. (2)
As we know that when changing the position of adjective available in
the example1 and 2, there is no change in meaning of adjective.
However, some adjectives sometimes have different meanings if they
modify different nouns; for example, old can be either a central adjective or

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an adjective restricted to attributive position as in an old friend of mine means

a longstanding friend. In this case, old is the opposite of new. The person
referred to is not identified as old , but it is very his friend that is old.
Moreover, some adjectives come before or after nouns with a change
in meaning, in some case a few adjectives change in meaning depending on
whether they are used before or after a noun. Some of these are concerned,
elect, involved, present, proper, responsible. They would be illustrated as
follows:
The concerned doctor rang for an ambulance.
~ The worried doctor rang for ambulance.
The doctor concerned is on holiday.
~ The doctor responsible is on holiday. (L. G. Alexander 1988,
111)
Some adjectives such as present, absent, concerned, involved and
responsible are used with most frequency in postmodification. Sometimes
they are also used in postmodification but then their meaning are different, for
example:
There were ten members of staff present. (there)
Our present problems are much worse. (now)
The person concerned must be fined. (relevant) (Quirk et al,
1972, 418)
2.3 Syntactic functions of English adjectives
An adjective may bear several possible relationships to the noun or
noun phrase that it qualifies.

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2.3.1 Attributive adjectives

According to Alexander’ point of view (1988, 110) adjectives are
attributive when they modify nouns (they can pre-modify or post-modify
nouns). Therefore attributive adjectives can be considered as part of the noun
phrase. Let’s see the following the examples:
Lan is a beautiful girl.
Hung is a heavy smokers.
( ~ Hung smokes a lot.)
After the compound indefinite pronouns and adverbs, which begin
with no-, any-, some-, every-, and end in -body, -one, -thing, -where,
adjectives are usually used attributively as postmodifiers:
Anyone ( who is) intelligent can do it.
I want to try on something ( that is) larger.
There is nothing new, but something important.
Some adjectives can be only used attributively with absolute/complete
meanings such as mere, out and out, sheer, utter,…for example:
What you say is sheer/ utter nonsense.
He is a mere boy.
The above adjectives can behave like adverbs of degree or intensifiers
but they can be used only in the attributive position. To prove this, we can
take some examples into consideration:
* He is mere.
* What you say is sheer/ utter.
These sentences is meaningless, they are not correct. They can not be
complement, so one time, we can affirm that the above adjectives can be only
attributive.
Adjectives which restrict the reference of the noun are always
attributive as the followings:
certain (a woman of a certain age)

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chief (my chief complaint)

main (my main concern)
only (the only explanation)
particular (my particular aim)
principle (the principle reason)
sold (my sold interest)
These adjectives only used attributive, except for certain and
particular which then change in meaning (110-111).
We should take the use of commas into consideration to separate
adjectives which are used attributively. When we have more than two
adjectives before a noun, we only need commas to separate those which are
equally important (it means that where the order of the first two could easily
be reversed), for instance:
This is a beautiful, bright clean room.
That is to say, we put a comma after the quality adjective, we never use
a comma after the adjective that comes immediately in front of a noun. Let’s
see the following examples:
The hotel porter led me to a beautiful, bright clean room.
Joy is engaged to a daring, very attractive young air force pilot.
If there are only two adjectives, we separate them with and.
He wore dirty and old shoes.
I have a young and beautiful sister.
When there more than two adjectives, they may be separated by
commas and apart from the last adjective which separated by and.
He wore dirty, wet, old and worn shoes.
But, there are some fixed phrases of adjectives which are often linked
by and : old and musty with, a long and winding road, hard and fast rules.
When the premodifiers are two color adjectives, it is obligatory to use
and, not the commas as: the yellow and blue flag and it does not exist in * the

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yellow, blue flag.

Sometimes, we use but instead of and if the meaning of two
premodifying adjectives are contrastive: a rich but stingy man, a cheap but
effective solution (115-116).

2.3.2 Predicative adjectives

An adjective may serve to quality as subject or objective and to
complete the predication begun to the verb. Such an adjective is called a
predicative adjective. If it qualifies the subject, it functions as a subjective
complement, if it qualifies a direct objective, it functions as an objective
complement.
_ Subject complement: Adjective is subject complement when there is
a co-reference between subject and subject complement. Both of them are in
an intensive relationship. Let’s see the following examples:
The children were noisy and naughty.(3)
In the example 3, noisy and naughty function as predicative adjectives,
they both qualify children and complete the predications begun by the verb
were.
Your suspicions seem to be unfounded.(4)
In example 4, the infinitive to be unfunded functions as a predicative
adjective, it both qualifies suspicions and completes the predication begun by
the verb seemed.
_ Object complement: adjective is object complement when there is
Co-reference between direct object and object complement. They are in
intensive relationship with object. Let’s see the following examples:
The situation made Mr. Hardy courageous and even a bit daring.
(5)
In sentence 5, courageous and daring functions as predicative
adjectives, they both qualify Mr. Hardy and complete the predication begun

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by the verb made. They are objective complement.

The jury found him guilty.(6)
In example 6, guilty is a predicative adjective, it both qualifies him and
completes the predicative begun by the verb found, so guilty is an objective
complement.
Apart from being subject complement to noun phrase ( subjunctive) ,
adjectives are also subject complement to clauses when the subject is a finite
Clause or non-finite Clause.
Whether he will design is uncertain.
Driving a bus isn’t easy.
The adjective which functions as objective complement often show the
result of the process denoted by the verb, for example:
He tide the rope tight
( As a result, he rope was then tight)
He pushed the window open.
( As a result, the window was then open.) (Quirk et al 115-116)
Apart from the above cases, some adjectives with different meaning
also are predicative adjectives:
_ Adjectives describing health uses predicatively:
The following adjectives are most common in predicative position
relating to health: faint, ill, poorly, unwell and well:
“What’s the matter with him?
He’s ill/ unwell. He feels faint”
However, some adjectives describing health used both predicative and
attributive with different meanings:
How are you?
I’m very well, thank you.(7)
I’m fine thanks.(8)

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Fine in example 8 related to health is predicative because it modifies the

subject and linking by a linking verb am so it’s realized by object
complement. It can be paraphrased in another sentence I’m well thanks (9).
But when we use the adjective fine in the attributive position. It no longer
relates to health, it means excellent. Let’s see another example :
She is a fine woman.
Fine is an adjective realized as noun phrase in which fine pre-modifies noun
woman so fine is attributive similarly, faint can be used attributively when it
is not in connection with health such as a faint chance, a faint hope.
_ Predicative adjectives beginning with a-
The following adjectives are used only predicatively like afloat, afraid,
alight, alike, alone, ashamed, asleep, awake.
The children were asleep at 7, but now they’re awake.
These adjectives: asleep, awake used predicatively because they complete the
predication begun with the linking verbs were, was.
_ Predicative adjectives describing feelings, reactions, etc.
Some adjectives which describes feeling, etc. As content, glad,
pleased, sorry, upset and a few others like far and near apart from the far
East or the Near East are normally used only predicatively, for example:
I am very glad to meet you.
Your hotel is quite near here, It isn’t far from home.
( L. G. Alexander 109-110)
2.3.3 Adjectives function as head of a noun phrase
Adjective can function as head of noun phrase and can be subject, of
the sentence, object, complement or complement of a preposition. As a
result, they do not inflect for number or genitive case, and they must take a
definitive determiner. We can not usually leave out a noun after an adjective,
for example:
Poor little boy! ( not poor little!) (10)

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In the example (10) poor little has meaningless, non-sense so reader

can’t understand.
There are some exceptions, there are three types of adjectives that
function without noun, that are adjectives functioning as head of noun phrase)
2.3.3.1 Well- known groups
Adjectives belonging to well- known group are adjectives expressing
some group of people in society. The form the + adjective used to discuss
certain well- known groups of people in society especially people in a
particular physical or social condition such as the blind, the dead, the deaf,
the handicapped, the jobless, the mentally ill, the old, the poor, the rich, the
unemployed, the young, the sick,…for example:
He’s collecting money for the blind.(11)
In the example 11, it means that he’s collecting money for the blind
people or all blind people in general. It does not refer to just one person or to
a small group. It can not denote one person the blind man, the blind woman. It
is often capable of adding a general word for human beings likes people. In
which case, people is normally omitted and the use of the blind as head of the
noun phrase or without noun.
The meaning of well-known groups is usually general, sometimes a
more limited group is referred to, for instance:
After the accident, the injured were take to hospital.(12)
(Michael Swan, 13)
In the example 12, the injured doesn’t mean generally, but it refers to a
limited group, that is the injured people in the accident, but such as the
injured people in the war, fighting.
Note that these expressions can not be used with a possessive s. The
problems of the poor or poor people’s problem is not correct grammatically.
Some adjectives used without the as head of a noun phrase in paired
structures with and or or, for example:

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Opportunities for both the rich and the poor.(13) (Michael

Swan, 13)
In the example 13, the rich and the poor express the rich people and the
poor people in general.
From the above point, it’s a very common knowledge that adjectives use
as head of a noun phrase ( NP heads) normally need a definite determiner,
they are absolutely able to without a determiner if they are linked. So it is the
reason that opportunities for both rich and poor we can also say that in the
sentence : opportunities for both the rich and the poor.
2.3.3.2 Adjectives referring to abstract ideas
Some adjectives used as noun phrase heads. When they have abstract or
general reference such as the supernatural, the unexpected, the unknown, the
best, the ridiculous,… so its abstract sense means that thing or those things
which are unknown. In which case we can insert a general noun like thing/
news. And these abstract adjectives are followed by a singular verb, for
example:
The most surprising (thing) is that she will study abroad.
Verb which has subject ( with abstract adjectives) taken singular form
is. Let’s see another example:
The annoying thing was that I didn’t understand deeply the
exercise.
2.3.3.3 Nationality adjectives used without nouns
Some adjectives referring to nationalities use as noun phrase heads:
The Vietnamese are very proud of their history.(14)
In example 14, the Vietnamese expresses the Vietnamese people in
general, but not the particular Vietnamese people or Vietnamese women/
men.
A few nationality adjectives ending in -sh, -ch or –ese are used after the
as head of noun phrase, they include: -sh : British, English, Spanish, Irish; -

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ch: Dutch, French; -ese : Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese.

Similarly, adjectives relating to well-known groups of people in social
group, nationality adjectives are referred to general meaning and take plural
and singular equivalences as well. For example an Irish woman, a welsh man
unlike adjectives referring social groups, adjectives of nationality can not be
modified by adjectives like very with general and plural meaning. They can
be modified by adjectives which are commonly non-restrictive. Consider the
following sentence:
The industrious Vietnamese women always strive harder to catch
up with those in other countries. (15)
In example 15, it can be understood that the Vietnamese women, who are
industrious and dexterous always strive harder to catch up with those in other
countries.
The native English are very friendly.
( The English, who are native, are very friendly.)
2.3.4 Supplementative adjective clauses
An adjective (alone or as head of adjective phrase ) can function as
supplementative adjective clause or a verbless adjective clause . The clause is
mobile, through it usually precedes or follow the subject of the superordinate
clause
(by then) nervous, the man opened the letter.
The man, (by then) nervous, opened the letter.
The man opened the letter, (by then ) nervous. (Quirk et el
1972, 119 )
When verbless adjective clause comes closely the subject, such as The
man, (by then) nervous, opened the letter. It is, in some aspects, like a non-
restrictive relative clause as in:
The man, who was ( by then) nervous, opened the letter.
Unlike the relative clause, the adjective clause is mobile and its implied

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is usually the subject of the sentences. Thus, while we have :

The man restrained the woman, who was aggressive.
We do not have:
*The man restrained the woman, aggressive.
However, if the clause contains addition constituents, its implied
subject can be other than the subjective of the sentence:
She glanced with disgust at the cat, quiet (now) in her
daughter’s lap.
While in the participle clause, the implied subjective can also be other
than the subjective of the sentence.
She glanced with disgust at the cat, stretched out on the rug.
She glanced with disgust at the cat, mewing plaintively.
(Quirk et al 1972, 119)
Nevertheless, the implied subjective of the adjective clause can be the
whole of the superordinate clause. Look at these two examples:
Crowded holiday resorts are not very pleasant.(16)
Holiday resorts which are crowded are not very pleasant.(17)
Crowded in the sentence 16 is an adjective and which are crowded in th
example 17 is a clause which has a finite verb are. The clause is doing exactly
the same work as the adjective it is describing the holiday resorts or in other
words it is qualifying the noun holiday resorts so we call it a relative clause
because it relates to the noun. In this case, by means of the word which.
In short, adjectival clause can describe person, things and events. We
can realize that the adjectival clause shows that holiday resorts crowdedness
is related to the content of whole sentence. Other examples of the verbless
adjective clause :
Strange, it was she who initiated divorce proceedings.
It is semantically equivalent to that is was she who initiated divorce
proceedings is strange.

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An adverb may sometimes replace with little difference in meaning, an

adjective function as a verbless clause, for example:
Nervously, the man opened the letter.
Nervous, the man opened the letter.
The adjective refers to the subjective without explicit reference to the
action, and otherwise stated, the characterization is only temporary in its
application. But if an explicit time indicator is introduced, the application of
the adjective is extended in time.
For example, when we insert always, the man’s nervousness becomes a
permanent characteristic, and is not specifically connected with the action, for
example:
Always nervous, the man opened the letter.
But when the implied subjective is the whole clause, a corresponding
adverb can replace the adjective with little or no difference in meaning, such
as with strangely for strange, for example:
Strangely, it was she who initiated divorce proceedings.
However, the adjective, unlike the adverb, allows a that- or how- clause
as follows:
Strange that it turned out that way.
Strange how she still likes him.
In such cases, it’s is ellipted and the adjective is not separated from the
clause by a comma.
The supplementive adjective clause also expresses the circumstance or
condition under which what is said in the superordinat clause applies. A
subordinator is often present but can be omitted, for example:
Enthusiastic, they make good students.
~ When they feel enthusiastic, they make good students.
When ripe, these apples are sweet.
~ When these apples are ripe, they are sweet.

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Whether right or wrong, he always comes off worst in an

argument.
~ Whether he is right or wrong, he always comes off worst in an
argument.
The implied subjective of the adjective clause is normally the
subjective of the superordinate, but it can also be the objective, for example:
We can drink it hot.
You must eat it when fresh.
The adjective then usually comes finally and could be regarded as a
complement. The implied subjective can be the whole of the superordinate
clause, for example:
If possible, the dog should be washed everyday.
2.2.5 Exclamatory adjective sentence
An adjective as head of an adjective phrase or as its sole realization can
be an exclamation:
How good of you!
An exclamation is a sentence spoken with emphasis and feeling.
Attention here is restricted to exclamatory utterances introduced by:
How + Adjective + (S +V)!
How warm the water is !
The exclamation shows that the water is very warm or in other words,
the water extremely warm. It expresses the speaker’s feeling about the degree
of warmth.
Other examples are about exclamations with ellipted S + V
How wonderful!
How difficult!
How lucky!
Adjective only can be a short exclamation as in:
Excellent!

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Wonderful!
Lovely!
These is usually a greater rise or fall of the voice than in other types of
sentences. When writing we use an exclamation mark.
2.4 Summary
In this chapter, some basic information adjective in English are
presented generally with definition of adjectives. Especially, readers can find
some information in details about classification adjectives in terms of their
semantic and syntactic functions of English adjectives as follows: stative and
dynamic adjectives, gradable and non- gradable adjectives, inherent and non-
inherent adjectives. Furthermore, four syntactic functions of English
adjectives are also pointed, they are adjectives functioning as attributive,
predicative, exclamatory adjective sentence and adjectives functioning as
head of a noun phrase including well-known groups, adjectives referring to
abstract ideas. All. In brief, much back ground knowledge of English
adjectives are given in this chapter. All these are effective sources for the
further study in the next chapter.

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Chapter III
A new approach to SEMANTIC AND Syntactic functions of
English Adjectives

English adjectives are rather diversified in terms of syntactic and semantic

functions. According to the survey, the writer would like to introduce
classification of English adjectives in terms of usage and their semantic and
syntactic functions in the chapter as follows :
3.1 Classification of English adjectives in terms of their usage
According to Alexander (1998, 106), an adjective describes the person,
thing, etc… which a noun refers to. We use adjectives to say what a person,
etc … is like or seems like.
As we know, there are many classifications of English adjs. However the
writer based on Dixon’s View (1991, 78) to classify English adjectives more
categorically. In terms of their usage classification, English adjectives are
divided into ten types as follows: Dimension, physical property, speed, age,
color, value, difficulty, qualification, human propensity, and similarity.
Type 1: Dimension
Dimension adjectives are adjectives referring to length, breadth, depth,
size, etc that a person or thing has existed.
Let’s see dimension adjectives as examples: big, great, thin, deep, tall,
large, etc.
He is short. (Alexander 1988, 106)
She looked tall. (Jane Eyre 1847, 56)
It was a thin oaten cake. (Jane Eyre 1847, 52)
Type 2: Physical property
Physical property is any property used to characterize matter, energy
and their interaction. This group includes adjectives as follows:
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hard cool fresh

strong heavy cheap
clean sweet
a cheap Indian restaurant (Alexander 1988, 115)
However the physical property adjectives can be also divided into a
CORPOREAL subtype.
well ill absent
sick dead
He’s a sick man. (Alexander 1988, 115)
She is usually absent from the class without any reasons.
Type 3: Speed
Speed adjectives are adjectives referring to a rate (usually rapid ) at
which something happens. This group includes adjectives as follows:
quick rapid sudden
fast slow
The process of growth wasn’t fast. ( Chicken Soup, 1999, p26)
A quick glance convinced me that he could do that.
Type 4: Age
Age adjectives are adjectives expressing length pf time that a person or
thing has existed as :
new young
old modern
He is an old man.
I have bought a new car.
Most of them are very young . (Jane Eyre 1847, 223)
Type 5: Color
Color adjectives are adjectives referring to the appearance of objectives
or light sources described in terms of a person’s perception or their hue and
lightness. Here are some examples:

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white crimson purple

black mottled yellow His hair is quite
white. (Jane red Old Eyre 1847, 223)
That is a black horse.
The bed was covered with a crimson cloth. (Jane Eyre 1847,
223)
Type 6: Value
Value adjectives are adjectives expressing the qualities that renders
something desirable or valuable. Here are some examples:
good odd crucial
bad strange important
lovely curious lucky
atrocious necessary
John’s having resigned was very odd.
Canterbury is a lovely city.
Health plays a very important role.
Type 7:Difficulty
Difficulty adjectives are adjectives referring to a condition or state
affairs almost beyond one’s ability to deal with and requiring great effort to
bear or overcome.
easy tough
difficult hard
simple
It is hard for Marry to operate our mower.
Things are getting so difficult.
Driving a bus isn’t easy.
(Quirk 1973, 114)
Type 8: Qualification

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Adjectives denoting qualification are capacity fitting a person for a

position or purpose.
In qualification adjectives, they are divided into a number of subtypes
as definite, possible, usual, likely, sure, and correct.
Firstly, definite adjectives, the kind of adjective expresses a factual
qualification regarding an event as definite, probable, true.
It is definite that the King will visit.
Secondly, possible adjectives ,the kind of adjective expresses the
speaker’s opinion about an event, which is often some potential happening,
such as possible, impossible, etc.
No, sir; that is impossible, I can not do it because it is wrong .
(Jane Eyre, p281)
Thirdly, usual adjectives, the kind of adjective points out the speaker’s
opinion about how predictable some happening is like usual, normal,
common,…
It seems normal for no one to work.
Cyclones are common at this time of year.
Fourth , likely adjectives, the kind of adjective is also an opinion, but
like the usual adjectives they tend to focus on the subject’s potentiality to
think about some happening such as likely, certain,..
John is likely to win.
It is certain that the monsoon will come this month.
Next, sure adjectives, similarly the likely adjectives group, but they
have a stronger focus on the subject’s control, like sure,…
I am sure she is not right. ( Jane Eyre, 251)
Finally, correct adjectives as:
correct wrong
right appropriate
sensible

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I am sure there is something wrong.

This kind has two distinct senses, commenting:
(i) on the correctness of a fact, similar to the definite adjectives.
That the whale is not a fish is right.
(ii) on the correctness of the subject undertaking some activity.
John was right to resign .
Type 9: Human Propensity
Adjectives denoting human propensity are adjective expressing ability
or an attitude, emotion to something happening.
This kind of adjectives also have a great of subtypes as fond, angry,
happy, unsure, eager, and clever.
Firstly, fond adjectives, the kind of adjective expresses hobbies and
usually take preposition of:
I am fond of reading books.
Secondly, angry adjectives describing an emotional reaction to some
definite happening such as angry (about), jealous (of), mad (about), etc.
She was angry about what he had done.
Thirdly, happy adjectives, the kind of adjective is an emotional
response to some actual or potential happening. Let’s take the following into
consideration:
anxious thankful glad
keen careful proud
happy sorry ashamed
I am happy about the decision.
Fourth, unsure adjective, these expresses the speaker’s assessment
about some potential event such as certain, sure, unsure, curious,…
The result of the race was rather curious.
I am unsure of the time of the meeting.
She is curious (about) whether John will attend.

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(Dixon 1991, 83)

Next, eager adjectives, these means wanting, enthusiasm such as eager,
ready, prepared, willing.
The rich are willing to donate tens of millions of dong to the
poor.
I’m eager for the fray.
Finally, clever adjectives, the kind of adjective refers to ability or an
attitude towards social relations with others. Here are some examples:
clever lucky
stupid kind
cruel generous
It is very stupid for John to come in without knocking.
( Dixon 1991, 83)
Type 10: Similarity
Adjectives denoting similarity are adjectives having the similar or
dissimilar characteristics.
This kind of adjective compares two things, states or events such as
like, unlike (which are the only adjectives take a direct objective); similar (to),
different (from) (which introduce the second role obligatory for an adjective
from this type.
They usually take a preposition, here are two examples:
John is similar to his cousin.
Her fashion was so different from her sister’s.
3.2. Classification in terms of their semantic functions
According to the survey, and basing on ten kinds of English adjectives
as mentioned above, the writer would like to find out what kinds of English
adjectives belong to gradable or non- gradable adjectives.
3.2.1 Gradable and non-gradable adjectives

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As we know that most adjectives are gradable. The writer finds out
nine kinds of adjectives belong to gradable adjectives group as follows:
Type 1-Dimension, type 2 - Physical properly, type 3 - Speed, type 4 -
Age, type 5 - Colour, type 6 - Value, type 7 - Difficulty, type 8 -
Qualification ( restricted by “usually” subtype), type 9 - Human propensity
( only with happy and clever subtype ).
When analyzing these adjectives, and basing on semantic functions of
English adjectives, the writer would like to list their semantic functions of the
gradable adjectives as follows:
Most adjectives above are typically related to a concrete noun,
generally related to human noun. The adjective types are considered as
gradable adjectives because they express degrees in the quality referred to and
they can be modified by intensifiers to emphasize their meanings. Let's see
the following examples:
Type1: The school-room was very long.
( Jane Eyre 1847, 52)
This a very large town
Type2: It 's very cool today.
Of intensifiers, very is most frequently used. Different from other
intensifiers, very can be doubled itself to make the premodifiers’ meanings
even stronger: a very, very old woman
*He is an extremely, extremely intelligent student.
Type3: If he was too slow, the other dogs stole his food.
Type 6: You are a very good girl. (Jane Eyre, 1847,p45)
Moreover, the adjectives above can form comparatively and superlatively
when we want to describe something by saying that it has much quality than
something else or anything else. Here are some examples:
Type 1: This shirt is smaller than that one.
Type 3: In a lower tone, but still loud enough for me to hear.

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Type 4: My sister is older than me.

Type 9: Children are the happiest people now.
A new color adjectives also have comparison degree:
Type 5: We have no redder hat than that one.
Contrast to gradable adjectives, the writer also find some adjective types
considered as non gradable adjectives as follows: type 8: Qualification (with
definite, possible, like, sure subtypes ) and type 10- Similarity.
Most adjectives can not be modified by intensifiers. It is not impossible to
say:
* Very sure / possible/likely (type 8)
* Very different (from) (type 10)
* Very similar (to) (type 10)
Moreover adjectives belonging to type 8 and type 10 can not take a
comparative or superlative form such as sure, possible, different.
3.2.2 Stative and dynamic adjectives
According to the ability to be used in the progressive (continuous
aspect) form, adjectives are classified into stative and dynamic. Some
adjectives are not generally used in progressive forms. They are called stative
because they refer to states, experiences and conditions rather than to action.
Dynamic adjectives, on the other hand, have their own characteristics. They
usually refer to actions or dynamic adjectives can be used in progressive.
According to the survey, we can find out that the above types of
adjective can be realized as stative and dynamic, stative adjectives are
classified as type 1: Dimension, type 2: Physical property, type 3: Speed and
type 5 : Color.
These kinds of adjective denote a state or condition, which may
generally be considered permanent such as big, round, strong, cool, etc…
They can not normally be sued in imperative construction. It is not
possible to say: * Be big/red/narrow.

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Especially, the types can not usually be used in progressive

constructions:
* He is being big/red/small.
Unlike stative adjectives, dynamic adjectives are classified as follows:
Type 7 - Difficulty, type 9 - Human propensity and type 10 - Similarity.
The above kinds of adjectives can be seen as dynamic because they are used
in an imperative mood. Let's start by looking at these examples:
Type 9: Don't be stupid.
Furthermore they are used in the progressive tense.
He is being stupid again.
In short, syntactic functions of English adjectives are ordered clearly as
in the following table:

Kinds of Semantic functions of English adjectives

adjective Gradable non- gradable stative dynamic
Dimension + +
Physical + +
Property
Speed + +
Age +
Colour + +
Value +
Difficulty + +
Qualification + +
Propensity + +
Similarity +

3.3 Classification in terms of syntactic functions

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In terms of structural classification, adjectives are divided into four

types as mentioned in the chapter I. Basing on syntactic functions, the English
adjectives would be gathered clearly in accordance with their classification.
3.3.1 Attributive
An adjective may bear several possible relationships to the noun or noun
phrase that it qualifies.
3.3.1.1 Adjectives as premodification
The premodification is a modification that comprises all items placed
between the head of a noun phrase and the determiners notably adjectives or
nouns:
Adjective as premodification can function as the following structure:
(determiners) +adjs
Basing on the structure and ten kinds of adjective classified in terms of
usage, the writer realizes some kinds belong to this structure as type 1-
Dimension, type 2 - Physical property, type 3 - Speed, type 4- Age, type 5 -
Color, type 6 - Value. It proves this in the following examples :
Type 1: a very large stadium
a thin oaten cake
Type 2: The cheapest house to buy is in the outskirts.
Type 3: a quick glance
hard and fast rules
Type 4: a young man
Type 5: her blue eyes
Type 6: an important role
a lucky girl
Sometimes, we can form compound -ing premodifying adjectives with
adjectives: ill-smelling, good-looking,...with adverbs: hard-working, far-
seeing,...for example: She is a good-looking girl.
3.3.1.2 Adjectives as postmodification

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Postmodification is a modification that all the items placed after the

head of a noun phrase. From above definition, the kinds of adjectives as post
modification are classified into: type 1 - Dimension, type 4 - Age and type 9 -
Human propensity.
Indefinite pronouns endings in –body; -one; -thing; -where can be
modified only postpositively.
The typical types would be illustrated through the following example:
Type 1: I want to try on something larger .
~ I want to try on something which is larger than this.
( University Grammar of English, 116)
I have a house larger than yours.
Type 4: All people old and young, supported his policy.
a man 75 years old
Type 9: the mother anxious for her children’s happiness
3.3.2 Predicative
Firstly, predicative adjectives can function as the following
structure:
S + V + CS
Subject complement (Cs) is to describe or indicate the characteristics of
feature of the subject, it is after copular verbs (linking verb).
Let’s see the following examples:
Your daughter is intelligent.
S V CS
He is rather careless.
S V CS
Basing on classification of adjectives in terms of usage, the writer
found out that some kinds of adjectives belonging to this structure as
followings: type1- dimension, type 2- physical propensity, type 4- age, type

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6- value, type 7- difficulty, type 8- qualification, type 9- human propensity

and type 10- similarity. The following examples would prove this:
Type 1: The school - room is very large.
S V CS
Type 2: He looked ill .
S V CS
Type 4: He was young .
S V CS
Type 6: The result was strange . (Dixon 1991, 80)
S V CS
Type 7: It is hard for Mary to operate our mover.
V CS S
( Dixon 1991, 80)
Type 8: A baby walking at twelve months is unusual .
S V CS

Type 9: I am fond of watching cricket.

S V CS
She is curious whether John will attend.
S V CS
( Dixon 1991, 83)
Type 10: John is similar to his cousin . ( Dixon 1991, 84)
S V CS
Secondly, predicative adjectives can also function as the following
structure:
S + V + O + CO
According to English grammar of Hanoi Open University (2000, p48)
Object complement (CO) is to describe or indicate the characteristics of the
object, it is after copular, Verbs. For example:

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I consider him foolish.

S V Od Co
Basing on ten kinds of English adjectives in terms of their usage, the
writer classifies some kinds of adjective belonging to the structure as type 5 -
color, type 9 - human propensity. They would be illustrated as follows:
Type 5: We painted the door red .
S V Od CO
Type 9: He made me happy .
S V Od C O
3.3.3 Adjectives as head of a noun phrase
Substantivised adjectives can function as heads of NPS.
Adjectives can function as the following structure:
the + adj
Look at the following example:
The poor are causing the nation’s leaders great concern.
The meaning of the + adjective is usually general. The most common
adjectives of this kind basing on ten kinds of English adjective are: type 4 -
Age and type 6 - Value. In order to illustrate this, let’s see the following
examples:
There is lack of communication between the young and the old.
(University grammar of English, 2000, p56)
The best is yet to come.
However, we often leave out a noun that has already been mentioned, or
which does not need to be mentioned, when thinking about a choice between
two or more different kinds of thing. Type 5 - Colour belongs to this case.
Such as:
“Have you got any bread?”
“Do you want white or brown?” (Michael Swan, 1996, p14)

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White and brown are adjectives as heads of a noun phrase. They mean
that white bread and brown bread.
Sometimes, superlatives are often used as adjectives as heads of a noun
phrase. Let’s see type 1-Dimension as follows:
I’m the tallest in my family. (Michael Swan, 1996, p14)
~ I’m the tallest person in my family.
Depending on a certain situation, colour adjectives (type5) can
sometimes have the structure The + adj with a plural –s, for example:
Wash the reds and blues separately. (Michael Swan, 1996, p14)
~ Wash the red and blue clothes separately.
3.3.4 Supplementary adjective clause
Basing on classification of ten kinds of adjectives in terms of their usage,
some kinds of adjectives are realized as supplementary adjective clauses as
follows type 6 - value, type 8 - Qualification and type 9 – Human propensity.
The following examples would prove this:
Type 8 : If possible, the dog should be washed everyday.
~ If it is possible, the dog should be washed everyday.
Type 6 : Strange that it turned out that way.
Strange how she still likes him.
Type 9: Curious, the man opened the letter.
The man, (by then) curious, opened the letter.
~ The man, who was curious, opened the letter.
In short, syntactic functions of English adjectives are ordered clearly as
in the following table:
Syntactic functions of English adjectives
kinds of attributive Predicative
adjective Pre- post- as as head of adjective
modification modification Cs Co a NP clause
dimension + + +

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physical +
property +
Speed +
Age + + + +
color + +
Value + + + +
difficulty +
qualification + +
Propensity + + + +
Similarity +

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Chapter IV
A contrastive analysis between English and their Vietnamese
equivalents

In this chapter, the writer would like to make a contrastive analysis

between English adjectives and their Vietnamese equivalents in an effort of
finding out similarities and differences between them to help learners of
English to have a dear understanding about adjectives in English. Before
doing that, the writer would like to introduce some features of contrastive
analysis in learning a foreign language which has particular effect on
analyzing a language and its equivalents in other languages and then the
author would like to make an over view of Vietnamese adjectives.
4.1 Some features of contrastive analysis in learning a foreign language
Contrastive analysis (C.A) first developed in the 1950s, and it has still
existed up to now. C.A plays an important role in learning a foreign language
as a main subject at most language universals.
According to C. James (1980;19), C.A is a form of inter-language
study and a central concern of applied linguistic. As a matter of fact, C.A has
had much to offer not only to practical language but also to translation theory,
the description of particular language, language typology and the study of
language universals. In relation to bilingualism, C.A is concerned with how a
monolingual becomes bilingual. In other words, it is concerned with the effect
exerted by the first language on the foreign language being learnt.
Basing on the source language, students are taught to distinguish
similarities and differences between many cultures in fields such as structure,
semantics and culture… which helps them get knowledge of the language and
the culture of his study, they can not avoid being shocked or misunderstood
when communicating with foreigners or when translating a text.

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4.2 An overview of Vietnamese adjectives

As known, Vietnamese adjectives play an important role in daily life
and communication as well. Nevertheless, like English, there are many
different definitions on what is an adjective as linguists differ in their
opinions and scopes of the study.
According to NguyÔn H÷u Quúnh (Ng÷ ph¸p TiÕng ViÖt, 145) a
work is considered as an adjective when it describes characteristics, features,
shapes, colours of something or somebody, such as mÖt mái, cao, xanh, ®á,
buån, vui, xÊu, ®Ñp…
While as for NguyÔn Tµi CÈn (Ng÷ ph¸p TiÕng ViÖt, 2001)
adjectives are words expressing characteristics about quality, property, colour,
smell, taste and relationship between noun and pronoun.
In some recent studies and articles, a number of people wonder whether
there is adjective in Vietnamese as they find that most Vietnamese adjectives
tend to combine to adverbs to form verbs.
Adjectives can follow words such as ®·, ®ang, sÏ; xanh  ®· xanh /
®ang xanh; giµ  ®ang giµ / sÏ giµ.
Tríc ®· giái th× sau thªm giái n÷a.
Adjectives can follow some other adverbs such as vÉn, cßn, cø; trÎ 
vÉn trÎ / cßn trÎ; t¬i  cø t¬i / cßn t¬i.
C« Êy cßn trÎ l¾m.
Some other adjectives can also go after adverbs such as h·y, ®õng, chí;
h·y vui / chí tham lam / ®õng ®au khæ.
As Vietnamese has sounds and tone, a large number of adjs formed by
repetition. However, it must follow some tone rules as ®á  ®o ®á;
båi håi  båi hæi båi håi; s¹ch  s¹ch sµnh sanh.
In Vietnamese, there are stative and dynamic adjectives. The stative
adjectives often describe stative qualities such as xÊu, tèt, bÒn, ®Ñp, nÆng,
xanh, dµi, hång…dynamic ones that have tendency to show state such as

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buån, yªu, mÖt, vui, h¹nh phóc,…However, stative adjectives can function as
verbs, too.
4.3 A contrastive analysis between English and Vietnamese adjectives
English and Vietnamese are two different languages and have their own
features. Moreover, because of different culture and communication habit,
learners of English and Vietnamese face many difficulties in using English
and Vietnamese adjectives flexibly and correctly. Therefore, according to new
approaches and basing on the classification of English adjectives in terms of
their usage as mentioned in chapter III, 3.1, in this part, the writer will focus
on a study about contractive analysis between English and Vietnamese
adjectives.
4.3.1 In terms of their syntactic functions
In general, both English adjectives and Vietnamese adjectives can
function as attribute and predicative. Let’s see the following examples:
ChØ míi n¨m n¨m tríc ®©y, Héi An cßn lµ 1 n¬i bÐ nhá, trÇm mÆc,
rªu phong vµ cã phÇn ¶m ®¹m, nay ®· chuyÓn m×nh thµnh mét phè
thÞ nhén nhÞp, ®Çy søc sèng. (ng«n ng÷ vµ ®êi sèng, 2006, p 88)(18)
In the example 18, the noun Héi An functions a subject and adjectives
such as bÐ nhá, trÇm mÆc, rªu phong, ¶m ®¹m function as predicative, nhén
nhÞp, ®Çy søc sèng attribute to the noun mét phè thÞ.
Let’s see another example:
Cuéc sèng vµ con ngêi thµnh phè h«m nay cã thÓ vÝ nh 1 bøc tranh
sinh ®éng, hµi hoµ víi nh÷ng tµ ¸o ®Ñp, mu«n mµu s¾c.(19)
In the example 19, the adjectives sinh ®éng, ®Ñp, mu«n mµu s¾c are
all attributive.
Another similar point, in English, adjectives can stand after copular
verbs, such as, be, seem, feel, sound, taste, etc. They would be illustrated as
follows:
He seemed to be tired after a long journey.

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That sounds good.

I am hungry.
In Vietnamese, adjectives can occur after such verbs, such as nghe,
tr«ng, cã vÎ, c¶m thÊy,…Here are some example:
Mäi viÖc cã vÎ tèt ®Ñp.
C« Êy c¶m thÊy rÊt thÊt väng.
According to the new approaches both in English and
Vietnamese, syntactically, predicative adjectives can function as
the following structure:
S + V + CS
Let’s see the following example:
They always feel happy when living each other.
S V CS
~ Hä lu«n c¶m thÊy h¹nh phóc khi ë bªn nhau.
S V CS
However, according to new approaches, in English there are ten kinds
of adjective, they are type 1- dimension, type 2- physical property, type 3-
speed, type 4- age, type5- color, type 6- value, type 7- difficult, type8-
qualification, type 9- human propensity and type 10- similarity, unlike
English adjectives, there are some kinds of Vietnamese adjective classified
into: dimension, speech, age, color. Let’s see the follow examples:

Anh Êy cã mét c¨n hé nhá ë ngo¹i «.

~ He has a small house in the outskirts.

mét con ®êng réng 23 m
~ a road 23 meters wide

As mentioned above, both English and Vietnamese adjective can

function as attributive. However, there is a little difference between them.

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First, it is undeniable that English attributive adjectives are put widely

after nouns. The following examples would prove this:
Ch¸u lµ mét cËu bÐ rÊt th«ng minh.
~ You are a very intelligent boy.
Anh Êy cã mét c¸n bé nhá ë ngo¹i «.
~ He has a small house in the outskirts
However, in modern English, adjectives can follow the nouns in a
number of titles or a umber of fixed phrases:
Adjectives after noun in titles as follows:
Viªn trëng lý Attorney General
Viªn toµn quyÒn Government General
Bé trëng bé bu ®iÖn Postmaster General
Chñ tÞch nhËm chøc President Elect
C«ng chøng viªn Notary Public
Adjectives after nouns in fixed phrases
body politic sum total
godless gracious time immemorial
hope eternal penny dreadful
In general, functions of adjectives are changed from premodifiers in
English to postmodifiers in Vietnamese.
a beautiful beach ~ mét b·i biÓn ®Ñp
an interesting book ~ mét cuèn s¸ch hay
a famous star ~ mét ng«i sao næi tiÕng
a noble behavior ~ mét cö chØ cao thîng
Sometimes, adjectives function as postmodifiers in Vietnamese but as
predicative, not premodifiers or postmodifiers in English. We can see the
following examples to know clearer about English adjectives and their
equivalents.
Vietnamese English

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chî  ®«ng the market is crowded

nhµ  gÇn the house is near

l¸  ®á the leave is red

The verb be is always obligatory in English but it normally can be

optional in Vietnamese.

Both English and Vietnamese adjectives can function as head of noun

phrase but there is a little differences between them.
In English, the kinds of adjective can function as head of a noun phrase
such as type 4- age, type 6- value. Like all noun phrases, they also can be
subject, object, complement and complement of a preposition. Adjectives as
head of a noun phrases do not reflect number or generic case and they take the
definite determiner the.
Those kinds of adjectives can take personal nouns the young people
denoting plural and generic references, classes, categories or types of people.
They can be itself modified the very old.
There’s a widening disparity between the young and the old.
There’s a widening disparity between the young generations
and the old ones.
The very old face many difficulties when they live alone.
In Vietnamese, though the above adjectives can behave like head of
noun phrase, they have to be premodified by the determiner ngêi.
Ngêi giµ thêng hay m¾c bÖnh quªn.
Kho¶ng c¸ch gi÷a ngêi giµu vµ ngêi nghÌo ®· ®îc rót ng¾n.
Nevertheless, in English these adjectives are restricted to generic
reference and take plural harmony. Thus, the poor can not denote one person.
However, in Vietnamese, when we want to express plural nouns, we must add
the premodifier nh÷ng.
nh÷ng ngêi giµ ~ the old

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nh÷ng ngêi nghÌo ~ the poor

nh÷ng ngêi tµn tËt ~ the handicraft
In English, some adjectives denoting abstract reference can function as
non-phrase heads the supernatural, the unexpected, the unheard of…. Those
adjectives take singular verbs. We can also add “thing” in those abstract
adjectives.
The unexpected thing has come at last.
The latest (thing/news) is that the president elect is a woman.
He’s keen on exploring the mystical.
It is not obligatory, in English, to insert thing in abstract adjectives. But
in Vietnamese, it is necessary to add ®iÒu, c¸i, vÊn ®Ò, tin, etc before these
adjectives.
§iÒu kh«ng mong ®îi cuèi cïng ®· ®Õn.
Tin míi nhÊt lµ thñ tíng nhËm chøc lµ mét phô n÷.
Anh ta lu«n thÝch kh¸m ph¸ nh÷ng ®iÒu bÝ hiÓm.
4.3.2 In terms of their order
Adjectives always function as attributive in both English and
Vietnamese as for type 1- dimension, but their orders are not the same.
In English, dimension adjectives such as deep, ling, wide, etc can
function as adjective or adverbs after the question word how
How deep is that pool ?(adj)
How deep did you live ?(adv)
In responses to such question, the adjective (or adverb) follows the
noun, like the structure: The head noun + numbers + units + adj:
It is five meters deep.
I went five meters deep.
Whereas, in Vietnamese, dimension adjectives are placed between the
head noun, like the structure: the head noun + adj + numbers + units
a road 23 meters wide ~ mét con ®êng réng 23 m

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a river 1500 meters long ~ mét con s«ng dµi 1500 m

a mountain 1000 meters high ~ mét ngän nói cao 1000 m
a lake 10 meters deep ~ mét c¸i hå s©u 10 m
In English as well as Vietnamese, the head noun can take series of
adjectives to modify it. The order of Vietnamese adjectives is freer than
English adjs. In Vietnamese, adjective which appears near the head noun
often plays the most important role. However, in English, they must obey a
compulsory order despite of their importance. The most common order of
English adjectives is quantity + opinion + quality + noun.
Look at these examples to understand deeply about the order of their
orders :
English Vietnamese
a nice big new red Japanese car mét chiÕc xe NhËt mÇu ®á míi to
a nice big new red Japanese car ®Ñp.
* a new big red nice Japanese car. mét chiÕc xe NhËt míi to mÇu ®á
®Ñp
mét chiÕc xe NhËt ®Ñp mÇu ®á to
míi
However, hard – and – fast rules cannot be given, since much depends
on the emphasis a speaker want to make:
beautiful old brown French handmade cup-board
~ Mét c¸i tñ chÐn lµm b»ng tay cña Ph¸p mµu n©u cò rÊt ®Ñp
a brown old beautiful French handmade cup-board
~ Mét c¸i tñ chÐn lµm b»ng tay cña Ph¸p rÊt ®Ñp ®· cò mµu n©u
4.4 Summary
In this chapter, the writer has just presented a contrast analysis of
English and Vietnamese adjectives according to new approaches. The
different and similar features between English and Vietnamese adjective in
terms of their syntactic functions as well as their orders are pointed out.

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Firstly, in terms of their functions, both English and Vietnamese, generally,

can function as predicative and attributive, they also can stand copular verbs,
the adjective of type 4 and type 6 both in English and Vietnamese can
function as head of a noun phrase, secondly, in terms their usage, unlike
English adjectives, Vietnamese ones are not classified into ten kinds, there are
some kinds such as dimension, age, color,value,…finally, in terms of their
orders, the English adjective of type 1- dimension can function as in the
structure: the head noun + numbers + units + adj and as for Vietnamese
ones, they can function as in the structure : the head noun + adj + numbers +
units. However in the survey shortcoming is unavoidable from. Hopefully,
this chapter will help learns understand deeply both English and Vietnamese
adjectives. The learners understand deeply adjectives both in English and in
Vietnamese, they will succeed in study as well as translate languages.

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Chapter V
Conclusion

Through four chapters, the basic information of English adjectives in

general have been introduced. Although many grammar textbooks refer to
English adjectives, learners will find semantic and syntactic functions of
English adjectives clear in the graduation paper. All of them can provide
learner a comprehensive look towards English adjs.
In order to help learners deeply understand English adjectives, in
chapter II the writer has presented an overview of the English adjectives with
their definitions right at the beginning as well as semantic and syntactic
functions of adjs.
The writer discusses their classification according to their usage then
considers them if which kinds of adjective belong to semantic functions and
syntactic ones. Firstly, the kinds of adjective belonging to semantic functions,
as for gradable adjectives as type1, type 2, type 3, type 4, type 5, type 6, type
7, type 8, and type 9. Contrast to gradable adjectives, non-gradable ones are
found as type8, type 10. Stative adjectives as type 1, type2, typr3 and type 5,
and as for dynamic ones like type7, 9 and type 10. And then, the kinds of
adjective belonging to syntactic functions are also classified clearly in the
chapter III, 3.3.
With the contrastive analysis of English adjectives with their
equivalents, basing on new approaches the writer has pointed out similarities
and differences between English and Vietnamese adjectives in terms of their
functions,usages as well as orders. Both English and Vietnamese,
generally, can function as predicative and attributive, in terms their usages,
unlike English adjectives, Vietnamese ones are not classified into ten kinds,
there are some kinds such as dimension, age, color,value,...

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Finally, the writer hopes that the paper will be useful and helpful for
learners of English in general and for Vietnamese students in particular.
In spite of the great effort, imperfections and shortcomings are
inevitable The writer hopes to receive faithful comments, suggestions as well
as supplementations from the readers. Hopefully, the matter would be done in
other research.

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