adjektivizaci

Adjektivizace, or adjectivization, is a word-formation process by which a base word—usually a noun or a verb—is turned into an adjective or an adjectival form. This expands the repertoire of adjectives and can affect meaning, reference, and how a word modifies another word. In many languages adjectivization relies on affixation, adding suffixes or, less commonly, prefixes to nouns or verbs to yield adjectives. Some languages also use conversion or zero-derivation, where no overt affix is added and the word is reinterpreted as an adjective.

Adjectives formed through this process are often described as denominal when derived from nouns or as deadjectival when derived from verbs or other adjectives; the precise terminology varies by language. The choice of affixes and the availability of different suffixes can yield a range of meanings, from material or provenance to qualitative or relational properties. For example, English provides wooden from wood, cloudy from cloud, metallic from metal, and childish from child, illustrating how a single base can yield multiple adjectival shades.

Syntax and inflection differ across languages. In languages with rich agreement, adjectives inflect for gender, number, and case to match the noun. In English, adjectives typically do not inflect and usually appear before the noun or after linking verbs, depending on syntax.

Semantically, adjectivization can express material, color, size, origin, or abstract properties, and may give rise to metaphorical or predicate uses. Historical processes often involve semantic broadening or narrowing and phonological change, contributing to the dynamic evolution of a language’s descriptive toolkit.

See also: derivation, affixation, denominal adjective, deadjectival adjective.