ChatterBank3 mins ago
adjectives in the wrong order
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what's the technical term for when the adjectives in a sentence are in the wrong order. i can remember my english teacher writing it on my work all the time and not having a clue what it meant. now i can't remember the term and it's really annoying me. thanks
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Split infinitives have nothing to do with adjectives, I'm afraid; the term refers to the practice of inserting an adverb in the middle of the infinitve form of a verb, a classic example being, I suppose, "to boldly go". I'm not going to be drawn into a discussion over whether the split infinitive is acceptable or not - opinions differ. I can't think of a term that could mean "adjectives in the wrong order", largely because I can't imagine there being a "right" order for them.....
"She donated a million pounds to the hospital along with her husband."
The above sentence, of course, means that she donated her husband to the hospital as well as �1,000,000. To make it mean what it obviously does mean, one would have to write it as, "She, along with her husband, donated �1,000,000 to the hospital."
One of the words most commonly misplaced is 'only'. "I only asked him to lend me �10.00" would most probably be improved by stating it as, "I asked him to lend me only �10.00." or "I asked him only to lend me �10.00." In other words, the 'only' refers to the �10.00 or to the act of lending and not to the act of asking.
There is, as Narolines says, no specific term for putting adjectives in the 'wrong' order. If you wanted to say that someone was a) tall...b) broad...c) red-faced...etc, you are free to put these adjectives in whatever order appeals to you.
The above sentence, of course, means that she donated her husband to the hospital as well as �1,000,000. To make it mean what it obviously does mean, one would have to write it as, "She, along with her husband, donated �1,000,000 to the hospital."
One of the words most commonly misplaced is 'only'. "I only asked him to lend me �10.00" would most probably be improved by stating it as, "I asked him to lend me only �10.00." or "I asked him only to lend me �10.00." In other words, the 'only' refers to the �10.00 or to the act of lending and not to the act of asking.
There is, as Narolines says, no specific term for putting adjectives in the 'wrong' order. If you wanted to say that someone was a) tall...b) broad...c) red-faced...etc, you are free to put these adjectives in whatever order appeals to you.
I think it is hyperbaton....see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaton
Um this is not common in English - but of course you didnt say that you were studying E in the q
However in an inflected language latin and greek, it was used as a poetic figure of speech
noun1 adj2 verb noun2 adj1
is a Golden Line by the way
A bit high ppowered in todays GCSEs if I may say
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaton
Um this is not common in English - but of course you didnt say that you were studying E in the q
However in an inflected language latin and greek, it was used as a poetic figure of speech
noun1 adj2 verb noun2 adj1
is a Golden Line by the way
A bit high ppowered in todays GCSEs if I may say
To complete my answer above, I should have added that it is customary to put adjectives in the sequence...subjective first, followed by objective.
For example, one would always say, "She is a beautiful Scottish girl" and never "She is a Scottish beautiful girl." Her beauty is a matter of one's subjective judgement whereas her Scottishness is an objective fact.
For example, one would always say, "She is a beautiful Scottish girl" and never "She is a Scottish beautiful girl." Her beauty is a matter of one's subjective judgement whereas her Scottishness is an objective fact.
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