Semantics

categories

Descriptors Classifiers
 Descriptors
• Describe color, size and weight,
chronology and age, emotion and other
characteristics
– Color : black, white etc.
– Size / quantity : big, deep, long, large etc.
– Time : annual, daily, early, late etc.
– Emotive : bad, beautiful, best, fine, good etc
– Other characteristics : cold, complex, dead,
empty etc.
 Classifiers
• Limit or restrict noun’s referent
– Relational / classificational / restrictive :
average, chief, complete, direct, top etc.
– Affiliative classifier : American, English, etc.
– Topical / other : medical, mental, oral etc.
• Mostly non gradable example, we cannot
say : “very medical”, “more additional”.
 Adjective semantics categories
• Some adjective can serve as both
depending on their context of use.
• Example : “an old radio” vs. “poor old
rusty”, “we’re very poor” vs. “the poor evil”.
 Adjectives in combination
• Repeated comparative adjectives :
sometimes join by and to denote an ever-
increasing degree of adjective
• Ex : “see the branches get smaller and
smaller”, “I get more and more popular”
• Occur after resulting copular verbs : ‘get’
 Adjectives in combination
• The intensifier ‘good and’ and ‘nice
and’ : in order to intensify the meaning of
the adjective.
• Ex : “..when I’m good and ready”, “make
your teeth nice and strong”, “There are
many good and prosperous people here”
 Attributive Adjective
• Modify common nouns
– Ex : “Yes, it’s a bad attitude”
“It had been his favorite toy”
• Modify proper place nouns
– Ex : “old fashion Episcopalian”
“ancient Mesopotamia”
 Attributive Adjective
• Modify the name of a person
– Ex : “little Laura Davies”
“the late John C. Drennan

• Modify personal pronouns, occur

especially in exclamations.
– Ex : “Lucky you!”
“Not like poor me”
Attributes adjective in conversation
and academic prose
• Descriptors are common in both registers but
classifiers are common in academic prose
• Descriptors in conversation are simple one
syllable words. Several attributive adjective in
conversation are contrasting pairs.

• Academic prose much used of classifiers

especially relational and topical adjectives.
• These adjective specify the reference of noun
phrases and to express judgment important,
unusual and etc.
Attributes adjective in conversation
and academic prose
Descriptors Conversation Academic Prose
Size/amount Big,little,long Long,low,great
Time New,old New,old,young
color Black,white NIL
evaluative Good,bad,best Good,best,right
relational Same,whole NIL
Classifiers Conversation Academic Prose
relational NIL Basic,common,total
Topical NIL Local,oral,normal