Adj Ordering Restriction Question

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Okuno
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Adj Ordering Restriction Question

Post by Okuno »

So, I'm having an annoying time finding anything on adjective order restrictions in languages other than English, but the tiniest glimpse I do have suggests that the order below is universal (from Dixon 1982, by way of Teodorescu):

Value > Dimension > Physical property > Speed > Human Propensity > Age >Color

Obviously, the paper I'm pulling from introduces exceptions and complexities, but I guess the question I've got is whether this hierarchy is simply for English, or if it is more of a universal? (I also saw some weasel phrases, so I'm not even confident all languages have AOR <.<)

If anyone can shed light on this, it would be awesome, at least so I can make the Adjective Syntax section look less like a thin residue.
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Okuno
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Re: Adj Ordering Restriction Question

Post by Okuno »

I can no haz halp?

Hell, I'd settle for any starting point on adjective/adverb syntax...
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Yng
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Re: Adj Ordering Restriction Question

Post by Yng »

There was a thread about this a relatively short time ago - have you tried the search bar?
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Re: Adj Ordering Restriction Question

Post by Ser »

I do remember somebody mentioning a paper where they showed by examining a corpus that there were no clear rules for adjective order in English...

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Okuno
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Re: Adj Ordering Restriction Question

Post by Okuno »

yeah, there was a discussion, almost a year ago, btu in the meantime, I've found the interesting Universal 738:
Hierarchy of Property Concepts:
Human Propensity > Physical Property > Dimension / Colour > Value / Age / Form > Material / Gender

When languages encode these types of property concepts by different word classes, wherever the cut-off point, IF a concept type is encoded nominally, THEN all concept types lower on the hierarchy are also encoded nominally; and IF a concept type is encoded verbally, THEN all concept types higher on the hierarchy are also encoded verbally; IF any concept types are encoded through a distinct word class of adjectives, THEN this will include those from the middle of the hierarchy.
Which, the hierarchy looks suspiciously similar to being the reverse of the other one I posted, with exceptions

---
Human Propensity > Physical Property > Dimension / Colour > Value / Age / Form > Material / Gender
Color < Age < Human Propensity < Speed < Physical Property < Dimension < Value
---

I think at this point, I'm going to say "fuck it" and just use a similar ordering to the one given, plus or minus some categories.
EDIT: Since I'm already flaunting the archive by having demonstrative attach to numeral and that appearing directly against the noun instead of the predicted demonstrative - numeral - descriptive - N... yeah, making crap up seems to be pretty much the best way to go. v.v''

Whatever, I'll have a badass prelim grammar in less than a month! Eyes on the prize, man </talking to myself>
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Re: Adj Ordering Restriction Question

Post by Drydic »

Universals.
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