POSTPOSITIVE ADJECTIVE Meaning and
Definition
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A postpositive adjective is an adjective that appears after the noun it modifies within a sentence. Unlike most adjectives, which are typically placed before the noun, postpositive adjectives are positioned after the noun. This characteristic is often found in certain languages and grammatical structures, such as Latin, Arabic, and some Slavic languages, but it can also be observed in certain phrases and constructions in English.
By being placed after the noun, postpositive adjectives convey specificity, emphasis, or poetic effect. They can bring subtlety and nuance to the meaning of the sentence, emphasizing a particular quality or illustrating a unique characteristic of the noun. Postpositive adjectives are particularly useful when rendering complex descriptions or differentiating between similar objects.
For example, in the phrase "time immemorial," the adjective "immemorial" comes after the noun "time" to emphasize that it refers to a distant or forgotten era. Similarly, in the expression "heir apparent," the adjective "apparent" denotes that someone is clearly expected to inherit a particular position or title.
Postpositive adjectives are often employed in legal and formal language, as well as in poetry, where they add a touch of elegance or rhythm to the verse. Overall, postpositive adjectives provide a unique grammatical structure that allows for greater precision in expressing ideas and describing objects or concepts.
Etymology of POSTPOSITIVE ADJECTIVE
The term "postpositive adjective" is a grammatical phrase used to describe an adjective that appears after the noun it modifies. The etymology of the word "postpositive" itself can be traced back to the Latin word "postpositus", which is the past participle of "postponere". In Latin, "post-" means "after" or "behind", and "ponere" means "to place" or "to put". Therefore, the term "postpositive" literally translates to "placed after" or "put after". In the context of grammar, it refers to an adjective that follows the noun it modifies, as opposed to the more common prepositive adjectives that come before the noun.
