General
16 Feb 07
24 Feb 07
Originally posted by NordlysNordlys beaten in grammar?? Has the world gone topsy-turvy?!?!
I have done some further research (with reader's help). It turns out that you are probably right about "summer" - the Merriam Webster lists it as both a noun, an adjective and a verb. "Wool", on the other hand, seems to be only a noun. It is used adjectival, but it's still a noun. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectives#Adjectival_use_of_nouns
I am ...[text shortened]... different from combinations like "house key", "wool sweater" or "chess champion".
24 Feb 07
Originally posted by LanndonKaneOnly half-beaten, he was half wrong, too. 😛 To tell the truth, I don't know that much about English grammar, especially not the terms they use. In German, something like "summer vacation" would be written in one word ('Sommerferien'😉 and would be classified as a composite noun ('Nominalkompositum'😉 consisting of two nouns. The German Wikipedia classifies English composite terms the same way.
Nordlys beaten in grammar?? Has the world gone topsy-turvy?!?!
24 Feb 07
Originally posted by NordlysEnglish does suck, I'll admit that.
Only half-beaten, he was half wrong, too. 😛 To tell the truth, I don't know that much about English grammar, especially not the terms they use. In German, something like "summer vacation" would be written in one word ('Sommerferien'😉 and would be classified as a composite noun ('Nominalkompositum'😉 consisting of two nouns. The German Wikipedia classifies English composite terms the same way.
24 Feb 07
Originally posted by NordlysIn English, nouns can be used adjectivally, as in "wool sweater" and "summer vacation." Yes, wool and summer are nouns in structure, but in function here they are adjectives. Any noun used attributively, such as wool, summer and a host of others, becomes an adjective in that context. In the phrase "New York minute," the proper noun New York becomes an adjective (but only for a minute). 😉
I have done some further research (with reader's help). It turns out that you are probably right about "summer" - the Merriam Webster lists it as both a noun, an adjective and a verb. "Wool", on the other hand, seems to be only a noun. It is used adjectival, but it's still a noun. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectives#Adjectival_use_of_nouns
I am ...[text shortened]... different from combinations like "house key", "wool sweater" or "chess champion".
24 Feb 07
Originally posted by HandyAndyRead the link I gave. Even though the nouns are used like adjectives, they are still nouns (just like I am still a robot even when I function as a human). Quote: "These attributive nouns are not classed as adjectives"
In English, nouns can be used adjectivally, as in "wool sweater" and "summer vacation." Yes, wool and summer are nouns in structure, but in function here they are adjectives. Any noun used attributively, such as wool, summer and a host of others, becomes an adjective in that context. In the phrase "New York minute," the proper noun New York becomes an adjective (but only for a minute). 😉