Adjective Classes - A Cross-Linguistic Typology

These forms are shared with nouns, except for the nonpast adnominal na for rippa,

where nouns combine with no (like tada). The conjunctive combination occurs in

copula complements with verbs such as naru 'become', the te-conjunctive combin-

ation as a cosubordinate predicate. Other combinations with provisional, condi-

tional, and representative forms of the copula also occur; like inflected adjectives

and non-volitional verbs, the copula lacks imperative and hortative forms.

2.2.2. Lexical derivation
In Table 7 we illustrate the main lexical derivational processes for uninflected ad-
jectives, with comparative indications for nouns. These derivational processes are
shared with inflected adjectives, and largely absent with nouns. (It is noticeable,
however, that purely no uninflected adjectives participate minimally, if at all, in
these processes. Morphological evidence distinguishing these items from nouns is
thus generally lacking.) Uninflected adjectives do not undergo reduplication, un-
like some inflected adjectives (yielding adverbs) and unlike some nouns (general-
ly with collective meaning).

2.2.3. Syntax

Important syntactic properties of uninflected adjectives are illustrated more fully

below, with comparative comments relating to nouns.

adjectives which combine only with no, rather than with both na and no, are treated there as nouns

(the criteria for which are not stated) and receive no relevant indication; no adjectives, that is to say,

are only distinguished from nouns insofar as the items concerned also combine with na. Our mark-

ing of items like tada thus reflects our own analysis.

58 Anthony E. Backhouse

TABLE 7

Process Result Uninflected adjectives vs. nouns

Suffocation Noun: rippasa 'impressiveness' Productive. Not with nouns.

(-so)

Suffocation Noun: siNkeNmi earnestness' Restricted. Rarely from nouns.

(-mi) (< siNkeN (na) earnest')

Suffocation Verb: zaNtieNgaru 'show signs of Productive with adjectives denoting

(-garu) finding regrettable' (< zaNneN psychological states. Few from nouns

(«a/«o)'find regrettable') (examples in Martin 1975: 360) with the

meaning 'behave as if one is N'.

Suffixation Verb: kireisugiru 'be too beauti- Productive. Restricted with nouns.

(-sugiru) ful, clean' (< kirei (na) 'beauti-

ful, clean')

Suffixation (Uninflected) adjective: zyoo- Productive. Not with nouns.

(-500) busoo («a)'sturdy-looking'

(< zyoobu (na) 'sturdy')