ADJECTIVES
CLASSIFICATION OF ADJECTIVES
+169.+ +An adjective is a word which describes or limits a substantive.+
+An adjective is said to belong to the substantive which it describes
or limits.+
+An adjective which describes is called a descriptive adjective; one
which points out or designates is called a definitive adjective+ (§ 13).
Most adjectives are descriptive: as,--_round_, _cold_, _red_, _angry_,
_graceful_, _excessive_, _young_, _sudden_, _Roman_.
NOTE. Many descriptive adjectives are +compound+ (see § 64):
as,--steadfast, lionlike, fireproof, downright, heartsick,
everlasting, brown-eyed, broad-shouldered, ill-tempered, dear-bought,
far-fetched, never-ending, self-evident, self-important. “He was
a _matter-of-fact_ person.” “Tom is _hail-fellow-well-met_ with
everybody.” “This is an _out-of-the-way_ place.” “A dashing,
_down-at-the-heel_ youth answered my knock.”
+170.+ A proper noun used as an adjective, or an adjective derived from
a proper noun, is called a +proper adjective+ and usually begins with a
capital letter.
EXAMPLES: a _Panama_ hat, _Florida_ oranges, a _Bunsen_ burner;
Virginian, Spenserian, Newtonian, Icelandic, Miltonic, Byronic,
Turkish, English, Veronese.
NOTE. Many so-called proper adjectives begin with a small letter
because their origin is forgotten or disregarded: as,--_china_
dishes, _italic_ type, _mesmeric_ power, a _jovial_ air, a
_saturnine_ expression, a _mercurial_ temperament, a _stentorian_
voice.
+171.+ +Definitive adjectives+ include:--pronouns used as adjectives
(as, _this_ opportunity; _those_ pictures; _either_ table; _what_ time
is it?); numeral adjectives (as, _two_ stars; the _third_ year); the
+articles+, _a_ (or _an_) and _the_.
Pronouns used as adjectives (often called pronominal adjectives) have
been studied under Pronouns--demonstratives (§§ 131–134), indefinites
(§§ 135–142), relatives (§§ 143–162), interrogatives (§§ 163–167).
Numeral adjectives will be treated, along with other numerals (nouns
and adverbs), in §§ 204–208.
The articles will be treated in §§ 173–180.
+172.+ Adjectives may be classified, according to their position in the
sentence, as +attributive+, +appositive+, and +predicate adjectives+.
1. An +attributive adjective+ is closely attached to its noun and
regularly precedes it.
The _angry_ spot doth glow on Cæsar’s brow.
O you _hard_ hearts, you _cruel_ men of Rome!
_Yond_ Cassius has a _lean_ and _hungry_ look.
2. An +appositive adjective+ is added to its noun to explain it, like a
noun in apposition (§ 88, 5).
NOUN IN APPOSITION APPOSITIVE ADJECTIVE
The castle, a _ruin_, The castle, _ancient_ and _ruinous_,
stood on the edge of the cliff. stood on the edge of the cliff.
Bertram, the _ringleader_, Bertram, _undaunted_,
refused to surrender. refused to surrender.
3. A +predicate adjective+ completes the meaning of the predicate verb,
but describes or limits the subject.
Predicate adjectives are common after _is_ (in its various forms) and
other copulative verbs, particularly _become_ and _seem_ (§ 17).
The sea is _rough_ to-day.
Burton soon became _cautious_ in his judgments.
You seem _anxious_ about your future.
The air grew _hot_ and _sultry_.
Our first experiment proved _unsuccessful_.
The milk turned _sour_.
Our agent proved _trustworthy_.
NOTE. The construction of the predicate adjective is similar to
that of the predicate nominative (§ 88, 2). Both are known as
+complements+, because they complete the meaning of a verb.
After _look_, _sound_, _taste_, _smell_, _feel_, a predicate adjective
is used to describe the subject. Thus,--
Your flowers look _thrifty_. [NOT: look thriftily.]
Their voices sound _shrill_. [NOT: sound shrilly.]
This apple tastes _sweet_. [NOT: tastes sweetly.]
The air smells _good_. [NOT: smells well.]
The patient feels _comfortable_. [NOT: feels comfortably.]
For predicate adjectives after passive verbs, see § 492.
For the use of an adjective as predicate objective, see § 104.
THE ARTICLES
+173.+ +The adjectives _a_ (or _an_) and _the_ are called articles.+
1. +The definite article _the_ points out one or more particular
objects as distinct from others of the same kind.+
_The_ train is late.
Here is _the_ key.
_The_ children are in _the_ next room.
2. +The indefinite article _a_ (or _an_) designates an object as merely
one of a general class or kind.+
Lend me _a_ pencil.
I have _a_ cold.
_A_ young man answered my knock.
The article _a_ is a fragment of _ān_ (pronounced _ahn_), the ancient
form of the numeral _one_; _an_ keeps the _n_, which _a_ has lost.
_The_ is an old demonstrative, related to _that_.
+174.+ _The_ with a singular noun sometimes indicates a +class+ or
+kind+ of objects.
_The scholar_ is not necessarily a dryasdust.
_The elephant_ is the largest of quadrupeds.
_The aëroplane_ is a very recent invention.
Resin is obtained from _the pine_.
NOTE. In this use _the_ is often called the +generic article+ (from
the Latin _genus_, “kind” or “sort”). The singular number with the
generic _the_ is practically equivalent to the plural without an
article. Thus in the first example the sense would be the same if we
had, “_Scholars_ are not necessarily dryasdusts.”
+175.+ An adjective preceded by _the_ may be used as a plural noun.
_The brave_ are honored.
_The rich_ have many cares.
_The strong_ should protect _the weak_.
+176.+ +_An_ is used before words beginning with a vowel or silent _h_;
_a_ before other words.+ Thus,--
_an_ owl; _an_ apple; _an_ honest man; _a_ stone; _a_ pear.
+177.+ Special rules for _a_ or _an_ are the following:--
1. Before words beginning with the sound of _y_ or _w_, the form _a_,
not _an_, is used.
EXAMPLES: a union, a university, a yew, a ewe, a eulogy, a Utopian
scheme, such a one.
This rule covers all words beginning with _eu_ and many beginning
with _u_. Note that the initial sound is a consonant, not a vowel.
_An_ was formerly common before such words (as,--_an_ union, such
_an_ one), but _a_ is now the settled form.
2. Before words beginning with _h_ and not accented on the first
syllable, _an_ is often used. Thus, we say--
_a_ his´tory; BUT, _an_ histor´ical novel.
In such cases, the _h_ is very weak in sound, and is sometimes quite
silent, so that the word practically begins with a vowel. Usage
varies, but careful writers favor the rule here given. _An_ was
formerly more common before _h_ than at present.
+178.+ With two or more connected nouns or adjectives the article
should be repeated whenever clearness requires (cf. § 123).
I have consulted _the_ secretary and _the_ treasurer. [“The secretary
and treasurer” would imply that the same person held both offices.]
I found _an_ anchor and _a_ chain. [“An anchor and chain” would
suggest that the chain was attached to the anchor.]
In some towns there are separate schools for _the_ boys and _the_
girls; in others _the_ boys and girls attend the same schools.
He waved _a_ red and white flag.
He waved _a_ red and _a_ white flag.
+179.+ _A_ is often used distributively, in the sense of _each_.
I paid five dollars _a_ pair for my shoes.
The letter-carrier calls twice _a_ day.
My class meets three times _a_ week.
In such phrases _a_ is better than _per_, except in strictly
commercial language.
+180.+ When used with adjectives, the articles precede, except in a few
phrases: as,--
Such an uproar was never heard.
Many a man has tried in vain.
For the adverb _the_, which is quite distinct from the article in use
and meaning, see § 195.
For the preposition _a_ (as in “He went _a_-fishing”), see § 352.
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
+181.+ In +comparing+ objects with each other, we may use three
different forms of the same adjective.
Thomas is _strong_.
William is _stronger_ than Thomas.
Herbert is _strongest_ of the three.
This inflection of adjectives is called +comparison+, and the three
forms are called +degrees of comparison+.
+182.+ +The degrees of comparison indicate by their form in what degree
of intensity the quality described by the adjective exists.+
+There are three degrees of comparison,--the positive, the comparative,
and the superlative.+
1. +The positive degree is the simplest form of the adjective, and has
no special ending.+
It merely describes the quality, without expressing or suggesting any
comparison.
Thomas is _strong_.
Thus, the positive degree of the adjective _strong_ is _strong_.
2. +The comparative degree of an adjective is formed by adding the
termination _er_ to the positive degree.+
It denotes that the quality exists in the object described in a higher
degree than in some other object.
William is _stronger_ than Thomas.
Thus, the comparative degree of the adjective _strong_ is _stronger_.
3. +The superlative degree is formed by adding _est_ to the positive
degree.+
It denotes that the quality exists in the highest degree in the object
described.
Herbert is _strongest_ of the three.
Other examples of the +comparison of adjectives+ are:--
POSITIVE DEGREE COMPARATIVE DEGREE SUPERLATIVE DEGREE
rich richer richest
poor poorer poorest
fast faster fastest
firm firmer firmest
+183.+ RULES OF SPELLING.
1. Adjectives ending in silent _e_ drop this letter before the
comparative ending _er_ and the superlative ending _est_. Thus,--
wise, wiser, wisest; pure, purer, purest; handsome, handsomer,
handsomest.
2. Most adjectives ending in _y_ change _y_ to _i_ before the endings
_er_ and _est_. Thus,--
silky, silkier, silkiest; glossy, glossier, glossiest; sorry,
sorrier, sorriest.
3. Adjectives having a short vowel and ending in a single consonant
double this before the endings _er_ and _est_. Thus,--
dim, dimmer, dimmest; sad, sadder, saddest; fit, fitter, fittest;
big, bigger, biggest; red, redder, reddest; hot, hotter, hottest.
+184.+ +Many adjectives are compared by prefixing the adverbs _more_
and _most_ to the positive degree.+
Many adjectives of two syllables and most adjectives of three or more
syllables are so compared. Thus,--
recent, more recent, most recent; terrible, more terrible, most
terrible; triumphant, more triumphant, most triumphant; economical,
more economical, most economical.
Some adjectives may be compared in either way.
EXAMPLES: intense, intenser, intensest; OR intense, more intense,
most intense. So also--profound, sublime, unkind.
NOTE. The adverbs _less_ and _least_ may be used with an adjective,
if one wishes to run _down_ the scale of comparison: as,--_terrible_,
_less terrible_, _least terrible_. This idiom, however, should not
be regarded as comparison of the adjective. “Superlative” means “in
the highest degree,” and is not applicable to _least terrible_, which
means “terrible in the _lowest_ degree.”
IRREGULAR COMPARISON
+185.+ Several adjectives have irregular comparison.[23]
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
bad (evil, ill) worse worst
far farther farthest
---- further furthest
good better best
late later, latter latest, last
well (in health) better ----
little less, lesser least
much, many more most
_Old_ has comparative _older_ or _elder_, superlative _oldest_ or
_eldest_. _Elder_ or _eldest_ may be used with certain nouns of
relationship, or in the phrases _the elder_ and _the eldest_.
This is my _elder_ brother. My brother is _older_ than yours.
Jane was the _eldest_ I shall wear my _oldest_ clothes.
of six children.
_Elder_ is also used as a noun: as,--“You should respect your
_elders_.”
_Next_ is a superlative of _nigh_. It is used only in the sense of “the
very nearest.”
I live in the _next_ street.
The _next_ time he comes, I shall refuse to see him.
+186.+ A few superlatives end in _-most_. With these, one or both of
the other degrees are commonly wanting.
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
---- (former) foremost
hind hinder hindmost
---- inner inmost, innermost
(out, _adverb_) { outer outmost, outermost
{ (utter) utmost, uttermost
(up, _adverb_) upper uppermost
---- ---- endmost
---- nether nethermost
top ---- topmost
---- ---- furthermost
north ---- northmost
northern (more northern) northernmost
south ---- southmost
southern (more southern) southernmost
east, eastern (more eastern) easternmost
west, western (more western) westernmost
NOTE. The ending _-most_ is not the adverb _most_. It is a very old
superlative ending _-mest_ changed under the influence of the adverb
_most_.
+187.+ For adjectives incapable of comparison, see § 202. For special
rules for the use of comparative and superlative, see §§ 199–203.
+188.+ In +parsing+ an adjective, tell whether it is descriptive or
definitive, mention the substantive to which it belongs, and specify
the degree of comparison.