20 R. M. W. Dixon
(21) obi 9Jp9 'hard-heartedness, meanness' as an inherent character trait
(literally 'heart bad')
(22) ijzq d\ nj(j 'road which is bad', which can, after all, be repaired
There maybe other kinds of restriction on a verb in modifying function, which do
not apply to an adjective. In Chemehuevi (Uto-Aztecan; Press 1979: 58), verbs must
co-occur with a demonstrative when modifying a noun; adjectives need not. In
Tukang Besi (Donohue 1999:144,303-7), adjectives can modify a noun directly but
verbs require a subject focus marker. In Mupun (Frajzyngier 1993: 69), both adjec-
tives and verbs may only modify a noun together with the relative clause marker
de; but whereas verbs require a subject to be stated within the relative clause (this
is underlined in (233)), adjectives do not, as in (23!)).
(23) (a) n-dem ngwe [de wu cii]
isg-like man REL 3m refuse
'I like a man who refuses'
(b) n-dem ngwe [de d]
isg-like man REL different
'I like a different man'
In some languages, both verb and adjective can be head of an NP, but with
slightly different properties. Fijian has one type of complement clause which has
the form of an NP (I term it a clausal NP'). The underlying predicate (which can
be a noun or adjective) becomes head of the NP, while the underlying subject
becomes a possessive element. Thus, the clause in (243) corresponds to the NP
in (24!)).
(24) (a) e lab (b) a o-na lab
3SgS go ARTICLE CLASSIFIER-3Sg go
'he/she goes' 'his/her going'
Verb and adjective differ in the classifier that can occur in the possessive element
(Dixon 1988:138). When an adjective is head of a clausal NP there is a choice be-
tween classifier o- (possessor has some control over the quality) and 'e- (an inher-
ent quality, over which the possessor has no control). (253) is an intransitive clause
with an adjective as predicate head. Corresponding to this, there are two clausal
NPs, shown in (25!)) and (250).
(25) (a) e kaukaua 'he/she is powerful; he/she/it is strong'
(b) a o-na kaukaua 'his/her (acquired) power'
(c) a 'e-na kaukaua 'his/her/its (inherent) strength'
However, when a verb is head of a clausal NP, the possessor can only take classi-
fier o-, as in (24!)).