attributiva

Attributiva, or attributive adjectives, are modifiers that directly modify a noun within a noun phrase. They form part of the noun phrase and specify properties or qualifiers of the noun. They are distinguished from predicative adjectives, which occur after a linking verb and describe the subject of a sentence.

Position and agreement of attributiva vary by language. In English, attributive adjectives typically precede the noun and do not show agreement: a blue car, two tall trees. In German, attributive adjectives precede the noun and change form to reflect gender, number, and case: das rote Auto. In Spanish, adjectives normally follow the noun: una casa blanca, though a small class may precede for emphasis or nuance: gran casa. In French, most adjectives follow the noun, but some can precede it to express subjective evaluation (un grand homme).

Order and flexibility are also language-dependent. Some languages impose a fixed position for attributive adjectives, while others allow multiple placements within the noun phrase. When several adjectives modify the same noun, many languages demonstrate a preferred ordering, sometimes described by conventional sequences or by functional categories (such as size, color, origin).

Function and semantics of attributiva include expressing color, size, shape, origin, material, quantity, or evaluative judgments. They typically interact with determiners and numerals and may participate in agreement patterns in morphologically rich languages. In contrast to predicative adjectives, attributive adjectives contribute to the core content of the noun phrase by defining properties of the noun head.

In sum, attributiva is a central concept in the syntax of noun phrases, describing adjectives that attach directly to a noun within the phrase, with cross-linguistic variation in position, agreement, and ordering.