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<H3><A NAME="SECTION00052100000000000000">Adjectives: Core semantics of value <EM>adjective</EM></A></H3>
<P>
<A NAME="efadmc"> </A><H4><A NAME="SECTION00052110000000000000">Adjectives: Morphological criterion</A></H4>
<P>
<EM>Adjectives</EM> vary according to the gender and the number of the <EM>noun</EM> they specify.
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>N</EM> a noun: if <EM>X</EM> takes the gender of <EM>N</EM>, then
<EM>X</EM> can be an adjective (or a
determiner). A range of adjectives are homographic with respect to
the opposite gender (``un pantalon rouge'', ``une robe rouge''),
or the singular and plural have the same graphical form (``un homme soucieux'', ``des hommes soucieux'').
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un <B>livre</B><A NAME="8011"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=m & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> <B>intéressant</B><A NAME="8024"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=m & num=sg</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> des <B>livres</B><A NAME="8029"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=m & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> <B>intéressants</B><A NAME="8042"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=m & num=pl</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> une <B>revue</B><A NAME="8047"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> <B>intéressante</B><A NAME="8060"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> des <B>revues</B><A NAME="8065"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=f & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> <B>intéressantes</B><A NAME="8078"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=pl</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> ce <B>livre</B><A NAME="8083"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=m & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> est <B>mien</B><A NAME="8091"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=m & num=sg</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> ces <B>livres</B><A NAME="8099"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=m & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> sont <B>miens</B><A NAME="8107"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=m & num=pl</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> cette <B>revue</B><A NAME="8115"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> est <B>mienne</B><A NAME="8123"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> ces <B>revues</B><A NAME="8131"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=f & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> sont <B>miennes</B><A NAME="8139"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=pl</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> le <B>livre</B><A NAME="8147"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=m & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> est <B>tel</B><A NAME="8155"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=m & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> que je
l'ai terminé en une journée.
<LI> les <B>livres</B><A NAME="8163"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=m & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> sont <B>tels</B><A NAME="8171"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=m & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> que je
les ai terminés en une journée.
<LI> l' <B>histoire</B><A NAME="8179"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL> était <B>telle</B><A NAME="8187"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL>
qu'il a éclaté de rire.
<LI> les <B>histoires</B><A NAME="8195"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gen=f & num=pl</FONT></SMALL> étaient <B>telles</B><A NAME="8203"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=pl</FONT></SMALL>
qu'il a éclaté de rire.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
Note that this morphological criterion concerning the number/gender variation of a morphological unit is
also applicable to the recategorisation of present participles as adjectives. The features <B>number</B> and <B>gender</B>
are applicable to present participles used as adjectives, whereas they are not applicable to present participles per se.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> une femme <B>aimante</B><A NAME="8225"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f & num=sg</FONT></SMALL>
<LI> une femme <B>aimant</B><A NAME="8233"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=prs</FONT></SMALL>
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<H4><A NAME="SECTION00052120000000000000">Adjectives: Syntactic criterion</A></H4>
<P>
A morphological unit has the <B>pos</B> value <EM>adjective</EM> if it
occupies a particular phrasal position corresponding to an attributive
or predicative function. This criterion is necessary but not sufficient
because a range of <EM>nouns</EM> can also occupy the phrasal position of
<EM>adjectives</EM>. For certain <EM>adjectives</EM>, i.e. <EM>indefinite
adjectives</EM>, <EM>cardinal adjectives</EM>, there exist restrictions
concerning the selection of the <EM>determiner</EM> within a noun phrase.
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>N</EM> a noun, <EM>Det</EM> a determiner, <EM>NP</EM> a noun phrase:
if <EM>NP</EM> (<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>X</EM> + <EM>N</EM>), or
<EM>NP</EM> (<EM>Det</EM> + <EM>N</EM> + <EM>X</EM>), or
<EM>NP</EM> + copula +<EM>X</EM> succeeds, then <EM>X</EM> can be an adjective.
<P>
Note that <EM>X</EM> can also be a <A HREF="node27.html#efadsca" target="_top">noun</A>.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un livre <B>intéressant</B><A NAME="8284"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> une <B>telle</B><A NAME="8289"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL> histoire.
<LI> les <B>deux</B><A NAME="8297"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL> vaches.
<LI> la <B>deuxième</B><A NAME="8310"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL> vache.
<LI> le livre est <B>mien</B><A NAME="8315"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> ce livre est <B>intéressant</B><A NAME="8328"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> l'histoire était <B>telle</B><A NAME="8333"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a & gen=f</FONT></SMALL> qu'il a éclaté de rire.
<LI> Pierre est <B>deuxième</B><A NAME="8346"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
but:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> Pierre est <B>professeur</B><A NAME="8363"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n</FONT></SMALL>.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<A NAME="efadsca"> </A><H4><A NAME="SECTION00052130000000000000">Adjectives: Semantic criteria</A></H4>
<P>
<H5><A NAME="SECTION00052131000000000000">Adjectives: Semantic criterion 1</A></H5>
<P>
An <EM>adjective</EM> is a morphological unit that predicates a
property and that does not have a proper format.
In other words, the <EM>adjective</EM> does not exist independently
of an external support. WIth regard to the <EM>adjective</EM>/<EM>noun</EM>
distinction, this
means that those nouns which lose their own format when they are used
as adjectives are categorised also as <EM>adjectives</EM> in the dictionary.
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>N</EM> a noun: If there exists a context where <EM>X</EM> qualifies <EM>N</EM> and where <EM>X</EM>
cannot exist without <EM>N</EM>, then <EM>X</EM> can be an adjective.
<P>
If, for example, ``Something/someone that is <EM>N</EM> and <EM>X</EM>'' fails or if it is semantically
not appropriate, then <EM>X</EM> can be an adjective.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un livre <B>intéressant</B><A NAME="8414"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
*something that is a `livre' and a `intéressant'.
<LI> une robe <B>saumon</B><A NAME="8420"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
*something that is a `robe' and a `saumon'.
<LI> un vêtement <B>sport</B><A NAME="8429"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
*something that is a `vêtement' and `sport'.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
but:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un livre <B>cadeau</B><A NAME="8451"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
something that is a `livre' and a `cadeau' -- un livre en cadeau.
<LI> un historien <B>autobiographe</B><A NAME="8459"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n</FONT></SMALL><BR>
someone that is a `historien' and a `autobiographe'.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>N</EM> a noun: if <EM>X</EM> qualifies <EM>N</EM> but if X does not agree with the <EM>number</EM> and <EM>gender</EM> of <EM>N</EM>, then
<EM>X</EM> is not an adjective, but a noun.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> une <B>formation</B><A NAME="8486"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gend=f & numb=sg</FONT></SMALL> <B>logiciels</B><A NAME="8494"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=n & gend=m & numb=pl</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
une formation en logiciels.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<H5><A NAME="SECTION00052132000000000000">Adjectives: Semantic criterion 2</A></H5>
<P>
For an <EM>adjective</EM>, a conceptual interpretation is possible with regard to a given
object, and this is so independently of other parameters such as a given spatial and temporal
situation, an agent, an object, etc.
With respect to the <EM>adjective</EM>/<EM>participle</EM> distinction, we categorise as
<EM>adjectives</EM> those <EM>participles</EM> that predicate a property that exists
independently of parameters related to the interpretation of a verbal process.
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
If <EM>X</EM> is an expansion of <EM>N</EM>, then <EM>X</EM> can be an adjective.
<P>
Given <EM>N</EM>, <EM>M</EM> nouns:
if ``<EM>N</EM> + <EM>X</EM>/<EM>X</EM> + <EM>N</EM> is a sort of <EM>
N</EM>'' or
``<EM>N</EM> +<EM>X</EM>/<EM>X</EM> + <EM>N</EM> is a sort of <EM>M</EM>'' succeeds,
then <EM>X</EM> can be an adjective.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un marron <B>glacé</B><A NAME="8530"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> eau <B>courante</B><A NAME="8535"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> eaux <B>usées</B><A NAME="8548"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
but:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> les livres <B>empruntés</B><A NAME="8578"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=past</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
les livres qui ont été empruntés par Pierre.
<LI> il est <B>attaché</B><A NAME="8588"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=past</FONT></SMALL> à sa femme/
ses enfants/ ...
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>NP</EM> a noun phrase, <EM>Det</EM> a determiner:
if, for <EM>NP</EM> + copula + <EM>X</EM>, <EM>Det</EM> + <EM>X</EM> + <EM>N</EM> or <EM>Det</EM> + <EM>N</EM> + <EM>X</EM>, a test such as ``très <EM>X</EM>'', ``plus ou moins <EM>X</EM>'', etc., succeeds,<BR>
and<BR> if it can be interpreted as a degree of intensity, and not of a variation of quantity, then
<EM>X</EM> can be categorised as adjective.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> un choix <B>varié</B><A NAME="8629"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>; le choix pour ces livres est très <B>varié</B><A NAME="8639"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> un problème <B>embêtant</B><A NAME="8649"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>; ce problème est très <B>embêtant</B><A NAME="8659"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
but:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> ce livre est très <B>demandé</B><A NAME="8689"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=past</FONT></SMALL>.<BR>
on demande beaucoup ce livre.
<LI> les livres <B>empruntés</B><A NAME="8699"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=past</FONT></SMALL>.<BR> les livres qui ont été empruntés par qqn.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>X</EM> with the ending of a participle, <EM>P</EM> a prefix or a compound element,
if <EM>X</EM> can take a prefix or if it is the base form of a
compound, and if the complex unit <EM>P</EM> + <EM>X</EM> cannot be an inflected form of a verb, then <EM>X</EM> and <EM>P</EM> + <EM>X</EM> are adjectives.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>inépuisé</B><A NAME="8740"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>; <B>épuisé</B><A NAME="8752"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
<LI> <B>sur-doué</B><A NAME="8762"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>; <B>doué</B><A NAME="8772"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
<EM>Test</EM>:
<P>
Given <EM>N</EM> a noun, if <EM>N</EM> + <EM>X</EM> belongs to a paradigm of
<EM>N</EM> where <EM>X</EM> can commute with <EM>Y</EM>, <EM>Z</EM>, etc.<BR> and<BR>
if <EM>N</EM> + <EM>X</EM> exists independently of parameters which are due
to a verbal process or to the context of communication, then <EM>X</EM> is an adjective.
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> la semaine <B>passée</B><A NAME="8805"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>/ la semaine prochaine/ la semaine dernière.
<LI> le paragraphe <B>susmentionné</B><A NAME="8815"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=a</FONT></SMALL>/ le paragraphe suscrit/ le paragraphe susnommé/ ...
</UL></P></DIV><P>
<P>
Note that a range of past participles can never be used as adjectives:
<P>
<EM>Examples</EM>:
<P><DIV ALIGN=LEFT><P ALIGN=LEFT><UL>
<LI> <B>téléphoné</B><A NAME="8849"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=past</FONT></SMALL>: Il a téléphoné.
<LI> <B>ri</B><A NAME="8854"> </A>/<SMALL CLASS=FOOTNOTE><FONT color=#ff0000>pos=v & vf-m=part & tns=past</FONT></SMALL>: Il a ri.
</UL></P></DIV><P>
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