Adjectivescher

Adjectivescher is a term used in linguistic discussions, particularly in typology and constructed-language grammars, to describe a nominal form derived from an adjective by a productive derivational suffix, commonly labeled -scher. The adjectivescher functions as a noun and denotes either the abstract property named by the base adjective or a class of entities that possess that property. The concept is not widely standardized in mainstream descriptive linguistics and appears mainly in theoretical discussions and conlang documentation.

Origin and morphology: The core idea is that adjectives can be converted into nouns through the suffix -scher. The resulting adjectivescher behaves like a denominal noun: it can take determiners, number marking where applicable, and case distinctions in languages that have them. Its semantics center on the property itself or on a set of instances displaying that property, rather than on modifier use. The base adjective’s meaning guides the interpretation of the adjectivescher, leading to nouns such as color, quality, or relational categories.

Usage and syntax: In languages that employ adjectivescher, the word can occur as a subject, object, or predicative noun within a copular construction. It often participates in noun phrase structure and can be modified by adjectives or quantifiers, just like other nominal forms. The adjectivescher noun can also participate in level-sensitive interpretations of abstraction or class membership.

Examples: In a hypothetical language Aurelan, bluescher means “the color blue” and greenscher means “the quality of greenness.” Sentences may read: The bluescher is vibrant. A greenscher appears in the spectrum of light under observation.

See also: Nominalization, denominal noun, deadjectival noun, derivational morphology.