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Avoiding Ambiguity

Coordinate and Phrasal Adjectives

By Aiden Nienajadlo

Adjective (noun): a word belonging to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages and typically serving as a modifier of a noun to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from something else. (Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary)

Adjective: a word that describes a noun or pronoun. Coordinate (adjective) 1. a.: equal in rank, quality, or significance. 1. b.: being of equal rank in a sentence (Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary).

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“A coordinate adjective is one that appears in a sequence with one or more related adjectives to modify the same noun… [I]f one adjective modifies the noun and another adjective modifies the idea expressed by the combination of the first adjective and the noun, the adjectives are not considered coordinate and should not be separated by a comma. For example, a lethargic soccer player describes a soccer player who is lethargic. Likewise, phrases such as red brick house and wrinkled canvas jacket are unpunctuated because the adjectives are not coordinate: they have no logical connection in sense” (Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 5.91).

“[Y]ou don’t put commas between adjectives that modify each other or before ones that are part [of] a noun phrase: ‘We stayed at a luxurious seaside motel’” (Yagoda 21).

From the footnote at the bottom of the page: “*The very complicated rules for determining the order of such adjectives are, praise God, beyond the scope of this book.”

I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English—it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don’t let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don’t mean utterly, but kill most of them—then the rest will be valuable.

—Mark Twain, 1880

I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English—it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don’t let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don’t mean utterly, but kill most of them—then the rest will be valuable.

—Mark Twain, 1880

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“[Y]ou don’t put commas between adjectives that modify each other or before ones that are part [of] a noun phrase: ‘We stayed at a luxurious seaside motel’” (Yagoda 21).

From the footnote at the bottom of the page: “*The very complicated rules for determining the order of such adjectives are, praise God, beyond the scope of this book.”

“When a noun is preceded by two or more adjectives that could, without affecting the meaning, be joined by and, the adjectives are normally separated by commas. But if the noun and the adjective immediately preceding it are conceived as a unit,… no comma should be used” (CMS, 15th ed., 6.39).

Test 1: The And Test.

If and can be inserted between the two adjectives and the sentence still makes sense, the adjectives are coordinate and a comma is needed.

Comma = And

Ex. Sally has an enthusiastic, unrealistic personality. Sally has an enthusiastic and unrealistic personality. Sally’s personality is enthusiastic and unrealistic.

The adjectives are describing two distinct characteristics of Sally’s personality. Both adjectives modify the noun “personality.”

However, the And test is not foolproof.

*Ex. Shelly had proved a faithful, sincere friend.Shelly had proved a faithful friend.Shelly had proved a sincere friend.Shelly had proved a faithful and sincere friend.

Both adjectives are modifying the noun “friend.”

*Example taken from CMS, 15th ed., 6.39.

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But what if we’re talking about “sincere friends” as a single defining unit.

For instance,Shelly has two kinds of sincere friends: faithful and unfaithful.While June has proved to be an unfaithful sincere friend, Joyce has proved a faithful one.

“Unfaithful and faithful” are modifying the unit “sincere friend.”

*Context Matters!!!

Test 2: The Interchangeability Test.

If the order in which the two adjectives appear in the sentence can be reversed, the adjectives are coordinate.

Sally is a loving, caring friend.

Sally is a caring, loving friend.

Adjectival Sequencing

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Only one of these sentences is correct.

Sally held a big red balloon.

Sally held a big, red balloon.

Sally held a red, big balloon.

Only one of these sentences is correct.

Sally held a big red balloon.

Sally held a big, red balloon.

Sally held a red, big balloon.

Adjectival sequencing: using several adjectives in a sequence to describe (or modify) the one thing.

Multiple adjectives in a sequence conform to what grammarians call “The Royal Order of Adjectives.”

The Royal Order of Adjectives

1) Observation or Opinion Ex. Sincere, loving, unfaithful

2) Size Tiny, small, huge

3) Shape Round, square, rectangular

4) Age Young, new, ancient

5) Color Purple, blue, green

6) Origin Japanese, Mexican, American

7) Material Oak, copper, silk

8) Qualifier (Typically a noun used as an adjective)

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The beautiful small cylindrical new purple Egyptian silk evening dress is on sale at Macys.

The (determiner)

Beautiful (observation or opinion)

Small (size)

Cylindrical (shape)

New (age)

Purple (color)

Egyptian (origin)

Silk (material)

Evening (qualifier)

Dress (noun)

Exceptions of Adjectival Sequencing

The sequencing can vary for emphasis.

Word order and meaning—context. Ex. The Japanese green apple is much more tart

than the American green apple.

The adjective “green” in this case fits under the category of qualifier rather than color and therefore is placed closest to the noun it is modifying.

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Two adjectival categories most commonly confused.

Observation or opinionand

Qualifier

A lethargic soccer player


Determiner


Observation or opinion

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Qualifier


Noun


“Lethargic” is not only describing what type of “player” it is, but what type of “soccer player” it is.

“Soccer player” as a single unit.

Observation or opinion = subjective

Qualifier = objective

“Lethargic” = subjective

“Soccer” = objective

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Qualifier (noun): in grammar, a word or phrase that limits the meaning of another word or phrase, or makes it less general, such as an adjective or adverb (Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus, Cambridge University Press).

She had a profound, religious experience.

She had a profound religious experience.

She had a profoundly religious experience.

Example 1: She had a profound, religious experience.

The “experience” was both “profound” and “religious.”

Two separate characteristics.

Both adjectives fall under the category of observation or opinion and modify the noun “experience.”

Example 2: She had a profound religious experience.

The “religious experience” was “profound.”

The adjective “religious” is not simply a characteristic but the defining characteristic of the noun “experience.” “Religious” is qualifying the noun “experience” by limiting its interpretation.

If the second adjective (religious) was removed, the sentence would lose its intended meaning.

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Example 3: She had a profoundly religious experience.

The “experience” was “profoundly religious.”

Doesn’t mean that the “experience” itself was “profound.”

The adverb “profoundly” modifies only the adjective “religious.”

In legislative writing, how can we qualify an adjective that falls under the category of observation or opinion?

By defining the term.

“Hostile behavior” means actions intended to frighten, intimidate, insult, bully, or harm others.

Without the definition, “hostile behavior” is subjectively determined.

By defining the term, we infuse it with a definite set of traits, thereby limiting its meaning and allowing it to be applied objectively.

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Test 3: Second Adjective Elimination.

If you can remove the second adjective and the sentence remains true, the adjectives are coordinate.

Example 1: Any individual who engages in deliberate hostile behavior on school grounds may be fined not more than $100.00.

Example 2: Any individual who engages in deliberate, hostile behavior on school grounds may be fined not more than $100.00.

Example 1 = Hostile behavior that is deliberate. (True)

Example 2 = Behavior that is deliberate. (True)and

Behavior that is hostile. (True)


Any individual who engages in deliberate behavior on school grounds may be fined not more than $100.00.

Behavior that is deliberate.

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Behavior that is deliberate. (Untrue)







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Behavior that is deliberate. (True)

Avoiding Ambiguous Interpretation

“Any individual who engages in deliberate, hostile, or violent behavior…”

Comma = And

But in some contexts it can also mean Or

When you use a comma for and, you could be opening the door to misinterpretation.

Coordinate versus Cumulative Tests

Test 1: The And Test

Test 2: The Interchangeability Test

Test 3: The Second Adjective Elimination Test

The Royal Order of Adjectives1) Determiners

2) Observation or opinion

3) Size

4) Shape

5) Age

6) Color

7) Origin

8) Material

9) Qualifier

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Context matters!!!Phrasal Adjectives

Also known as a compound modifier

A phrase that functions as a unit to modify a noun.

Usually takes a hyphen before a noun and loses the hyphen when coming after the noun.

Not hyphenated in proper names.

Ex. 1: This housing is for graduate students.

Ex. 2: The graduate-student housing at this college is inexpensive.

Ex. 3: The inexpensive graduate-student housing is a real positive for school enrollment.

Ex. 1: This housing is for graduate students.

“Graduate” as a qualifying adjective modifying “students.”

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Ex. 2: The graduate-student housing at this college is inexpensive.

“Graduate-student” as a qualifying phrasal adjective modifying “housing.”

“Graduate-student” functions as a unit.

Ex. 3: The inexpensive graduate-student housing is a real positive for school enrollment.

The observational or opinion-based adjective “inexpensive” modifies “graduate-student housing.”

Still follows the Royal Order of Adjectives.

Phrasal adjectives are especially important when used with other adjectives.

Contrast

“the whiskey buying grandma”

with

“the whiskey-buying grandma.”

Did you see the whiskey buying grandma? (The whiskey is doing the buying.)

Did you see the whiskey-buying grandma?(The grandma is buying the whiskey.)

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Avoiding Ambiguity

What’s the difference between the following sentences:

Ex. 1. The small-state senator is pushing for comprehensive high-quality health care.

Ex. 2. The small state senator is pushing for comprehensive high-quality health care.

Ex. 1. The small-state senator is pushing for comprehensive high-quality health care.

In the first example, it is the state that is small.

Ex. 2. The small state senator is pushing for comprehensive high-quality health care.

In the second example, it is the senator.

Things to take away:

Identify what the adjectives modify.

Determine in what categories the adjectives fit.

Although there is a specific order for adjectives, context matters!

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FIN

avoiding ambiguity noun - national conference of … ambiguity...avoiding ambiguity coordinate and...

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