adjectivalrelational

Adjectivalrelational is a term used in linguistic discussion to describe a class of adjectives whose central function is to express a relationship between the referent and a second domain, rather than to describe an intrinsic property of the referent. In practice, these are commonly referred to as relational adjectives. They function to indicate how the referent relates to concepts such as time, space, geography, economy, culture, law, or other domains.

Relational adjectives are typically derived from nouns or noun phrases. English examples include geographical, economic, temporal, departmental, legal, and cultural. They specify the domain to which the referent belongs or is connected, as in geographical distribution, economic policy, temporal sequence, or departmental staff. They can also occur in predicative or attributive positions and often form adverbs by standard derivational processes (for example, geographically, economically).

Semantically, relational adjectives encode a relationship rather than a fixed attribute of the referent. They contrast with descriptive adjectives that primarily ascribe observable properties like color, size, or shape. The distinction can be subtle in use, because some adjectives may imply both a relational sense and an inherent property in different contexts.

Across languages, relational adjectives appear with varying morphological patterns and can interact with syntax in distinct ways. While the label adjectivalrelational is not universally standardized, the related concept of relational adjectives is widely recognized in grammar as an important mechanism for encoding domain-related relations within noun phrases. See also relational adjectives, descriptive adjectives, and nominal-to-adjective derivation.