Timeline for "If you don't have a fresh chicken, I'll take a frozen (one)." – When can an adjective act on behalf of a whole noun phrase?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
22 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Dec 2, 2016 at 23:51 | history | bounty ended | Mari-Lou A | ||
| S Dec 2, 2016 at 23:51 | history | notice removed | Mari-Lou A | ||
| Dec 2, 2016 at 7:31 | comment | added | Mari-Lou A | OMG, the post has been viewed only 312 times! But I am glad that the questions and answers have all earned upvotes. Now, your question asked which sentences were acceptable and natural, in which case my decision is easy. But someone actually explained the semantics, or the grammar if you prefer, and that makes my choice a bit more difficult. The bounty will be awarded before "tomorrow" nevertheless. And this comment should appease any who happen to disagree with me. | |
| Nov 27, 2016 at 19:46 | answer | added | Færd | timeline score: 9 | |
| Nov 27, 2016 at 15:18 | answer | added | Roderick Darby | timeline score: 3 | |
| Nov 26, 2016 at 18:01 | comment | added | Færd | @Mari-LouA OK, I'll try. And thanks for the attraction! | |
| Nov 26, 2016 at 15:34 | answer | added | Helmar | timeline score: 2 | |
| Nov 26, 2016 at 12:03 | answer | added | Greg Lee | timeline score: 5 | |
| S Nov 26, 2016 at 9:26 | history | bounty started | Mari-Lou A | ||
| S Nov 26, 2016 at 9:26 | history | notice added | Mari-Lou A | Draw attention | |
| Nov 24, 2016 at 14:20 | comment | added | Færd | @snailplane It does discuss my question fairly thoroughly in Ch.5, §9.3, and also mentions it in Ch.6, §2.4.1.b. It would take a while for me to shape a self-standing answer out of all that, but I guess I'm going to do it sometime. Thank you. | |
| Nov 22, 2016 at 22:00 | comment | added | user28567 | Have you read what CGEL has to say about fused modifier-heads? | |
| Nov 22, 2016 at 15:55 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackEnglish/status/801091710013108224 | ||
| Nov 22, 2016 at 4:46 | history | migrated | from ell.stackexchange.com (revisions) | ||
| Nov 16, 2016 at 20:35 | comment | added | Tom B | "I don't want an ugly doll, I want a beautiful" would be the same form as what you are arguing for, yet it categorically doesn't work. | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 19:47 | comment | added | TimR | There are also species of adjective; for example, fresh, beautiful, mistaken, and excrescent express their respective properties in very different ways. | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 16:18 | comment | added | TimR | The adjectives involved should be ones which semantically admit an opposition, as in "I don't like sweet wine, I like dry. He doesn't want canned peas, he wants fresh. She likes red wine, he likes white. He likes flashy cars, she prefers reliable". | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 16:11 | comment | added | TimR | Your counterexample does not follow the original pattern you presented, "this doll" is hardly the same as "fresh chicken". Also, "it's" in your comment lacks a clear antecedent. | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 16:00 | comment | added | Færd | @TRomano I don't think it's true as a general rule; cf, "I don't like this doll. Give me a beautiful." | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 13:03 | answer | added | Tom B | timeline score: 11 | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 13:01 | comment | added | TimR | Yes, it's grammatical, as in your examples, or like this: I need some cream. If you don't have fresh, canned is fine. | |
| Nov 16, 2016 at 12:38 | history | asked | Færd | CC BY-SA 3.0 |