adjectius

Adjectius is a term used in linguistics to denote the class of words that modify nouns and pronouns by attributing properties or qualities, what English speakers usually call adjectives. The term derives from Latin adjectivus, though adjectius is used in some typological discussions to emphasize cross-linguistic variation in the behavior of this word class.

Morphology and syntax: Adjectius commonly inflect for gender, number, and sometimes case in languages with rich agreement. In others, adjectives are invariable. They can be attributive, directly modifying a noun, or predicative, occurring with a linking verb to assign a property to the subject.

Semantics and morphology: Adjectius encode perceptual or semantic properties such as color, size, and shape, as well as abstract qualities. Comparatives and superlatives may be formed by inflection, periphrasis, or suppletion, depending on the language.

Typology and cross-language variation: In many languages adjectives form a distinct lexical class with dedicated inflectional patterns; in others, adjectives arise via derivation or are grammatically fused with nouns. Word order relative to the modified noun varies: some languages place the adjective before the noun; others place it after. The use and perceived emphasis of an adjectius can shift with position, articles, or emphasis markers.

Examples: English uses attributive adjectives before nouns, as in "blue car," and predicative adjectives with linking verbs, as in "The car is blue." Spanish uses noun–adjective order, "coche azul," with agreement in number and gender.

See also: Adjective, agreement, attributive, predicative.