• Semantic Characteristics of English Adjectives.

The actual application of adjectives is often, explicitly or implicitly, connected with their semantic characteristics. Depending on the context, the head word and the position in the sentence one and the same adjective may have different meanings and thus may be referred to different semantic groups.

• Gradable and Non-Gradable Adjectives.

Adjectives can be divided into two classes: a large class of words which can be graded (grad able adjectives) and a small class that cannot be graded (non-gradable adjectives).

An adjective is Gradable when:

• we can imagine degrees in the quality referred to and so can use it with words like very, too, enough (very good, too good, less good, not good enough, etc.)

• She’s very young, and extremely pretty (Grisham 1995: 199).

• '<...> it’s too complicated to be a practical joke ’ (King 1990: 592).

• And Tonio, his pupil, was so remarkable to look at, so perfect in every feature, even if he did always, without exception, politely refuse to sing (Rice 1990: 414);

• we can form a comparative and superlative from it (big, bigger, biggest),

• <...> the higher, more irregular shadows cast by the bigger jars of tomato and sweet pepper relish <...> were as looming and contorted as volcanic conformations (Irving 1989: 189).

• 'The bizgest exhibition of mechanical toys in the world, you say? ’ he rejoins, struggling to keep up with Edwin Mumford’s account of the Season s greatest triumphs. I never heard about this! ’ (Faber 2002: 605).

• An adjective is Non-gradable when we cannot modify it (i.e. we cannot use it with very, too, etc.) and cannot make a comparative or superlative from it

• Doreen pointed to the rieht wall, where three large folio volumes stood on a single shelf (King 1990: 472).

• Each (the apartment building) was prav-bricked. each stamped with the architectual blandness of hurried federal money (Grisham 1998: 166).

• There was no need for men to use the wooden confessional box itself (Rice 1990: 531).

• Stative and Dynamic Adjectives.

Adjectives are generally stative. Many of them, however, may be treated as dynamic. Stative and dynamic adjectives differ in some ways. For example, dynamic adjectives can be used in combination with the progressive aspect or with the imperative of the link-verb ‘be\ Stative adjectives do not admit of such forms.

• Compare: You’re being rude today. He-’s being tall.

Don’t be rude! Be tall!

• Semantic Classification of Attributive Adjectives.

Attributively used adjectives can be divided into several semantic groups. Now look at one of such classifications (based on the one given in Grammar of Present-Day English by E.Gordon & I.Krylova)'.

• Intensifying adjectives:

1. emphasizers (giving a general hightening effect), e.g. a definite loss, a real hero, a sure

sign, a true scholar, plain nonsense, etc.

2. amplifiers (denoting a high or extreme degree), e.g. a complete victory, total nonsense,

the absolute truth, utter stupidity, the entire world, etc.

3. downtoners (having a lowering effect), e.g. a slight misunderstanding, a feeble reason,

etc.

• Restrictive (or limiter) adjectives (those which particularize the reference of the noun), e.g. a certain person, a particular occasion, the exact answer, the precise information, the specific point, etc.

• Adjectives related to adverbials, e.g. my former partner (= formerly my partner), an apparent defeat (= apparently a defeat), the present leader (= the leader at present), the late president (= till lately the president), etc.

• Denominal adjectives (those formed from nouns), e.g. criminal law (= law concerning crime), an atomic scientist (= a scientist specializing in atomic science), a medical school (= a school for students of medicine), etc.

Predicatively used adjectives are fewer in number. They tend to refer to a (possibly temporary) condition rather than to characterize the noun. The most commonly used predicative adjectives are: able, conscious, fond, glad, ill, unwell, afloat, afraid, alike, alive, alone and the like.

Compare:

• Sun eclipses are rare. Sunny weather makes me happy. Everybody admires her golden hair. This gold watch is a piece of art.

• When two or more adjectives come before a noun, the usual order is: