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A connects pre-noun ("attributive") adjectives to nouns. Any
number of adjectives can be used; all connect to the noun.
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We saw a big black dog
Nouns thus have optional "@A-" connectors, conjoined with "D-"
connectors and with their main "S+ or O- or J-..." complex.
The "@A-" occurs first on the expression, since it must
connect closer than both the determiner and the main
connection: "*We saw big a dog", "*Big we saw a dog".
A+ on adjectives is disjoined with Pa-, used in predicative
adjective constructions. Many adjectives take complements
such as clauses or infinitival phrases; but such complements
may not be used when the adjective is being used prenominally
("The man was eager to go", "*The eager to go man is
here"). Thus the A+ connectors on adjectives must be disjoined
with complement connectors like TO+, TH+, and QI+. Adjectives
thus carry "A+ or (Pa- & [complement])".
Some adjectives, such as superlatives and number adjectives
("biggest", "first"), must be used with a definite determiner
such as "The" or "His". See "L".
All hyphenated expressions are treated as adjectives, and may
be used either prenominally or predicatively; they therefore
carry both A+ and Pa- (e.g., "bone-headed").
A few adjectives can act only as predicative adjectives, not
prenominal ones ("asleep", "alone"). These have no A+
connector. A few others, like "former", are only prenominal,
and carry A+ but not Pa-.
Many participles can also act as prenominal adjectives; these,
also, have A+ connectors. The situation here is complicated.
Present participles of intransitive verbs have A+ connectors;
those of transitive verbs do not ("The sleeping child", "*The
hitting child"). Many passive participles have A+ connectors;
this applies only to transitive verbs, since only transitive
have passive forms ("The destroyed building"). (A few
intransitive past participles also take A+: "The fallen
horse".) Past participles of "complex" verbs - those requiring
complements like infinitives or clauses - do not carry A+
("*The hoped agreement"); those of complex verbs which can
take direct objects carry A+ in some cases, not in others
("The reported incident", "*The seen man"). (Note: Do not
confuse participle-adjectives with full-fledged adjectives
which happen to be participles, like "amused" and "annoying":
"It is very annoying", "*It is very destroyed". The litmus
test for real adjectives is that they can take modifiers such
as "very"; see "EA".)
A+ connectors on adjectives (but not participle-adjectives)
are conjoined with an optional Xc+; this allows commas to be
inserted after any prenominal adjective in a list ("The big,
bad, ugly bear"). (This also allows doubtful usages such as
"The big, bear", "The big bad ugly, bear".) See "X".
Attributive adjectives are also allowed on proper nouns with
cost 2. See "D: Determiners and Adjectives on Proper Nouns".
Am is used with comparatives: see "MV: Comparatives I".
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