tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5940197.post5933811611161915926..comments2024-03-25T21:14:49.666-04:00Comments on Joel Swagman (Reviews / TESOL): the + superlativeJoel Swagmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14948746083822200906noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5940197.post-7698633041524987172017-01-10T08:52:31.765-05:002017-01-10T08:52:31.765-05:00That does seem to explain it all perfectly. Thank...That does seem to explain it all perfectly. Thanks again Stephan.Joel Swagmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14948746083822200906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5940197.post-38611452637425954252017-01-10T02:08:53.473-05:002017-01-10T02:08:53.473-05:00Oh, and incidentally, while most adjectives can be...Oh, and incidentally, while most adjectives can be used either attributively or predicatively, there are some which can only be used one way or the other. So, we can say "the boy is asleep," but not "the asleep boy," and we can say "that former actor," but not "that actor is former" (unless you mean he's dead or something!).Stephan Hurtubisehttp://www.thelingspace.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5940197.post-45734203827401955102017-01-10T01:56:08.153-05:002017-01-10T01:56:08.153-05:00Hey, Joel!
I'd say it's about whether the...Hey, Joel!<br /><br />I'd say it's about whether the adjective in question is being used attributively (that is, within a noun phrase, and so sandwiched between a determiner and a noun) or predicatively (in a verb phrase, following some form of the word "be"). It makes sense to have a determiner (or, as you point out, a possessive pronoun) before an attributive adjective, since it's inside an NP, and NPs usually have determiners (well, it depends a bit on the kind of noun); a predicative adjective won't typically have a determiner before it, since it's not in the right part of the sentence for that to happen.<br /><br />One case that (at first) seems to break this pattern are so-called substantive adjectives, which is when an adjective kind of stands in for a noun that's understood to be there, even though it isn't pronounced. So, we could say something like "he's the most intelligent." At first glance, it looks like we have a determiner in front of a (superlative) predicative adjective, not an attributive one; on closer inspection, it seems fair to analyze the phrase "the most intelligent" as something like "the most intelligent one" or "the most intelligent person." So, it's actually just another attributive adjective, preceded by a determiner because it's in a (disguised) noun phrase. It fits the pattern, after all!Stephan Hurtubisehttp://www.thelingspace.comnoreply@blogger.com