Attributivepredicative

Attributivepredicative is a linguistic term used to describe adjectives that can serve both attributive and predicative functions. In an attributive position, the adjective appears within a noun phrase, modifying the noun directly, as in a red apple. In a predicative position, the adjective occurs after a linking verb, describing the subject, as in the apple is red. Adjectives classified as attributivepredicative thus have the flexibility to appear in either slot without necessarily changing their core meaning.

In languages like English, many common adjectives are usable in both positions, though frequency and nuance can vary. For example, big can appear as a predicative adjective in The house is big and as an attributive adjective in a big house. Some adjectives show slight semantic or stylistic differences between positions; others are clearly more natural in one position than the other, depending on established norms of word order and alignment with the noun.

Cross-linguistic research highlights variation in attributivepredicative behavior. Some languages permit a wide range of adjectives to be both attributive and predicative with little restriction, while others impose stricter limits or rely on agreement and inflection to signal function. In certain languages, prenominal adjectives may express emphasis or irrelevance to the noun’s inherent properties, affecting how attributivepredicative adjectives are interpreted.

Overall, attributivepredicative describes a productive and in many languages common pattern where adjectives participate in multiple structural positions, contributing to the flexibility and nuance of adjective usage. See also adjectival syntax, predicative complement, and attributive modifier.