Adjectivaldesignating

Adjectivaldesignating is a term used in linguistics to describe the use of adjectives as labels that designate referents or groups rather than modifying a noun in the usual attributive sense. In this use, an adjective functions as a nominal designator, often with a definite article or in plural form. For example, phrases like “the rich,” “the elderly,” or “the red ones” employ adjectives as stand-ins for social groups or subsets of objects.

In terms of syntax, adjectivaldesignating treats the adjective as the head of a noun phrase, effectively turning it into a nominal expression. This contrasts with standard attributive use, where the adjective directly modifies a following noun (the rich man vs. the poor man). The resulting expressions function as referential labels that can refer to people, objects, or categories, and they often carry evaluative or social connotations.

Semantically, adjectivaldesignating can convey stance, identity, or social meaning. Designations based on adjectives can index group membership (the elderly, the urban) or evaluative categories (the powerful, the vulnerable). They may evoke solidarity or stigma, depend on context, and frequently rely on shared cultural or discourse expectations to be understood as designators rather than simple modifiers.

Cross-linguistic variation exists in the extent to which adjectives can serve as stand-alone designators. Some languages readily form nominal expressions from adjectives with definite articles or case markings, while others require nominal forms or different constructions. The terminology is not universally standardized; adjectivaldesignating appears in some discussions as a descriptive label for this phenomenon, while other researchers may refer to it as adjectival noun usage or nominalized adjectives.

See also: adjectival noun, nominalization, epithet, classificatory phrase.