adjectivescarries
Adjectivescarries is a neologism used in some descriptive linguistics discussions to describe a class of adjectives that, in certain noun phrases, bear the grammatical information typically associated with the noun head. In languages with rich adjective inflection, adjectives may take marking for number, gender, case, and definiteness that mirrors or substitutes the noun’s morphology. In such contexts, the adjective effectively carries the grammatical burden of the noun phrase, especially when the noun is omitted or reduced in compact constructions.
- Morphology: adjectives display agreement and, in some cases, carry case or definiteness that aligns with or
- Syntax: this tendency is most visible in attributive positions or in reduced noun phrases where the
- Semantics: the adjective maintains the reference of the full noun phrase; the property expressed by the
The concept is discussed as a descriptive lens rather than a universal category. It has been noted
Some linguists argue that what is described as adjectives carries may simply reflect regular adjective–noun agreement
Noun phrase, adjective, agreement, ellipsis.
Adjectivescarries is informal and not widely standardized in mainstream grammars.