Semantic Relationships of Adjectives

Adjectives are often part of noun phrases. They express a quality of the noun they modify. However, the underlying semantic relationships vary considerably. To illustrate, here are ten noun phrases:

a tall athlete
a crying baby
a brick building
a class reunion
a cracked window
a country road
a fall day
an unread manuscript
a personal computer
a personal attack

We can analyze the noun phrases.  The first phrase tells us that the athlete is tall. This is a permanent quality. In the second phrase, the baby is crying. This is only a temporary situation.

The third phrase tell us that the material  is made of brick and the fourth that the reunion is for the class. In the fifth phrase, the window is not in perfect condition- it has been cracked. The sixty phrases gives us the location of the road-in the country.

The seventh phrase answers the question when. The day is in fall. In the eight phrase, we learn that the manuscript has not been read with the probable expectation that it will be read in the future.

In the ninth and tenth phrases, the adjective is the same. However, the phrases differ in meaning.  The computer is designed for individual use, but the attack is made by one person against another.

The examples illustate that adjectives in noun phrases illustrate many types of semantic relationships. These include permanent and temporary qualities, locations and materials. Without questions, adjectives are a very important part of language.