Attributes of attribution
Attributive adjectives have a number of properties that distinguish them from predicative adjectives and other modifiers of the noun. For example, attributives are subject to ordering restrictions that do not apply to other types of nominal modifier, and they exhibit scope interactions unlike predicatives or relative clauses. This thesis argues that these properties are best captured by an analysis in which all attributives share the same relationship with the noun and discusses the ways in which our understanding of a number of phenomena at the edges of attribution must change. One influential theory of adjective ordering restrictions (discussed in Larson 2000a and Cinque 2010, among others) holds that violations of the ordering hierarchy that applies to many attributive adjectives are due to the existence of modifiers that superficially look like attributives but are in fact derived from reduced relative clauses. These derived attributives are merged higher than underived attributives and are unordered with respect to each other. I show that the offending adjectives do not behave syntactically like true relative clauses, whether full or reduced. In addition, while all attributive semantics is asymmetric,
Belk, Z. C. E.
Attributes of attribution. Attributive adjectives have a number of properties that distinguish them from predicative adjectives and other modifiers of the noun. For example, attributives are subject to ordering restrictions that do not apply to other types of nominal modifier, and they exhibit scope interactions unlike predicatives or relative clauses. This thesis argues that these properties are best captured by an analysis in which all attributives share the same relationship with the noun and discusses the ways in which our understanding of a number of phenomena at the edges of attribution must change. One influential theory of adjective ordering restrictions (discussed in Larson 2000a and Cinque 2010, among others) holds that violations of the ordering hierarchy that applies to many attributive adjectives are due to the existence of modifiers that superficially look like attributives but are in fact derived from reduced relative clauses. These derived attributives are merged higher than underived attributives and are unordered with respect to each other. I show that the offending adjectives do not behave syntactically like true relative clauses, whether full or reduced. In addition, while all attributive semantics is asymmetric,
attributes attribution attributive adjective number property distinguish predicative adjective modifier noun example subject order restriction apply types nominal modifier exhibit scope interaction unlike relative_clause argues property best capture analysis share relationship noun discuss way number phenomenon edge attribution must change one_influential theory adjective ordering restriction discussed among_others hold violation order hierarchy applies many attributive adjective due existence modifier superficially look like fact derive reduced relative_clause derive merge high respect other show offend adjective behave syntactically like true relative_clause whether full reduce addition attributive semantics asymmetric