7.3. The Position of Adjectives
7.3.1. Some General Rules
The majority of adjectives go after the noun. Qualifying adjectives can go either before (non-restrictive) or after the noun (restrictive). However, adjectives that go before the noun tend to have a subjective, emphatic or poetic meaning, whereas adjectives that go after are objective.
It is for this reason that both the phrases "lo interessante libro" or "lo libro interessante", meaning, "the interesting book", are equally possible. In contrast, only "lo libro verde", meaning "the green book" is correct. "Lo verde libro" sounds strange to native speakers of Romance languages, even if they cannot describe why, because its color is an objective description of its appearance.
Below are some more examples:
| Una idèa fantàstica / Una fantàstica idèa | A fantastic idea |
| Capellos negros | Black hair |
7.3.2. Only Before the Noun (Prenominal Adjectives)
Determiners
All determiners always go before nouns and other adjectives.
| Type | Example(s) | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Possessive Adjectives | Mèo libro | My book |
| Definite Quantifiers: 1. Cardinal Numerals 2. Ordinal Numerals 3. Multiplicative Numerals 4. Fractions | 1. Doos libros 2. Lo primo día 3. Una càmera dopla 4. Un mèjjo litro | 1. Two books 2. The first day 3. A double room 4. A half liter |
| Demonstrative Adjectives | Cueste libro | This book |
| Interrogative Adjectives | Quale libro èst too preferito? | Which book is your favorite? |
| Exclamatory Adjectives | Qué història interessante! | What an interesting story! |
| Indefinite Adjectives | Cata persona | Each person |
| Articles (Indefinite Article and Definite Articles) | Un libro, Lo libro | A book, The book |
There are two other important pieces of information to add.
Firstly, definite quantifiers go after other determiners.
| Cuestos doos libros | These two books |
| Mèa prima tentativa | My first attempt |
| La seconda vece | The second time |
| Cata cinque días | Every five days |
Secondly, most determiners go before the noun, but multiplicative numerals can go before or after, depending on whether the meaning is emphatic (non-restrictive) or relational (restrictive).
| Una dopla menaccîa | A double threat |
| Una càmera dopla | A double room |
Apocopation
Apocopation is the omission or loss of a sound or sounds at the end of a word. Although this concept can be applied in a general sense, like to the evolution of nouns, this section specifically talks about the concept of not only shortened adjectives for adjectives before the noun, but also determiners and even adverbs.
Apocopation is optional in Neolatin, but very common in Romance languages. If a speaker wants to sound more natural or understand other languages better, it is worth examining the patterns below.
Adverbs
| Positive | Apocopated Form | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bène | Bèn | Well / Quite | Bèn facto! | Well done! |
In reality, "bène" is an adverb of manner. Cognates for "bène" are already apocopated in Romance languages in the positive form (ex: "bien" in Spanish). Even Italian apocopates the word when placed before a past participle (ex: ben fatto).
Determiners
| Positive | Apocopated Form | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcuno | Alcún | Some (indefinite type) | Alcún día / Qualque día | Some day |
| Necuno | Necún | No | Necún hòmene | No man |
| Tale | Tal | Such | Non credo en tal causa. | I do not believe in such a thing. |
| Uno | Un | A / An | Un libro / Uno libro | A book |
Officially, "uno" is both a cardinal number and the masculine singular indefinite article; However, "un" is a very common form among all main Romance languages as the indefinite article. Although, "uno" appears in a language like Neapolitan, where the masculine singular indefinite article is "nu" from Latin "ūnus".
"Tale" is different from other determiners in that it can also be pluralized, meaning, it is a "type 2" adjective that changes only to agree in quantity. Following the model of languages of France and Italy, it can even be accompanied by an indefinite article when singular (ex: "una tale idèa", meaning, "such an idea"). The rest of the determiners listed are inherently masculine and singular.
Adjectives
All the adjectives listed can be apocopated before a masculine and singular noun.
| Positive | Apocopated Form | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bòno | Bòn | Good | Bòn día! | Good day! |
| Santo | San | Saint | San Joanne | Saint John |
| Grande | Gran | Great | Una gran parte de la populatione | A large part of the population |
| Menore | Menor | Lesser/Smaller | Cuesta civtate ha moltos cineses, et en menor mesura, filipinos. | This city has many Chinese people, and to a lesser extent, Filipinos. |
| Majjore | Majjor | Greater/Bigger | La majjor parte de la populatione vive en la metate orientale. | The majority of the population lives in the eastern half. |
| Mellîore | Mellîor | Best | Cuesto èst lo mellîor libro. | This is the best book. |
| Pejjore | Pejjor | Worst | Cuesto èst lo pejjor libro que hai lècto. | This is the worst book that I have read. |
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Cognates for "bòno" are consistently apocopated across all main Romance languages.
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Cognates for "santo" are apocopated in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, but not in other languages.
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Cognates for "grande" are apocopated in Spanish, Catalan and Italian, but not according to the same rules. In Italian, “gran” is an optional shortened form of “grande” when a singular noun starts with a consonant. In Spanish and Catalan, “gran” is required before singular nouns, regardless of whether it starts with a vowel or consonant.
Nouns
More specifically, as a title, not as a noun on its own.
| Positive | Apocopated Form | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sennîore | Sennîor | Mister | Lo Sennîor Cardoso serà accuí prèsto. | Mister Cardoso will be here soon. |
| Professore | Professor | Professor | Lo professor Johnson ensegna ad la universitate. | Professor Johnson teaches at the university. |
| Doctore | Doctor | Doctor | Lo doctor Castro trepallîa ad lo hospitale. | Doctor Castro works at the hospital. |
Demonstratives
| Positive | Apocopated Form | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuello / Accuello | Cuel / Accuél | That | Cuel libro | That book |
Although there is some basis in Romance forms ("aquel" in Spanish, "aquell" in Catalan, "quel" in Italian), apocopated forms of the demonstrative adjective "cuello" or "accuello" have the distinction of being officially rejected by Jordi Cassany-Bates.
Interrogatives
| Positive | Apocopated Form | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quale | Qual | Which / What (information) | Qual èst too libro preferito? | What is your favorite book? |
"Quale" is only apocopated in Italian when used with the verb "essere". It is rarely apocopated otherwise, like only in some written language (ex: qual idea).
Adverbial Adjectives
7.3.3. Only After the Noun (Postnominal Adjectives)
7.3.4. Change of Meaning
The adjectives below change in meaning depending on their position.
The following adjectives were excluded because they are particular of Spanish:
- Ricco (It only has the meaning of "rich in money" or "dense", but never "delicious" or other meanings)
- Mèdio (The Spanish word "medio", meaning "half" and "middle", is the result of a borrowing from Latin, whereas Neolatin uses an inherited evolution: "mèjjo")
The word "raro" is included, but it never has the sense of "weird" or "strange" in other languages.
| Adjective | Meaning Before Noun | Meaning After Noun | Examples | Translations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pàupero | Poor (Misfortunate) | Poor (Having little money) | - Pàupera gènte - Gènte pàupera | - Poor people (Misfortunate) - Poor people (Having little money) |
| Triste | Sad (Dreadful, pitiful) | Sad (The literal emotion of sadness) | - Una triste persona - Una persona triste | - A sad person (Dreadful) - A sad person (Literally sad in emotion) |
| Jòvene | Young (Young in age) | Young (Unripe, recent or generally youthful) | - Un jòvene actore - Una faccîa jòvene | - A young actor - A youthful face |
| Antico | Old (Former) | Ancient, Antique | - La civilizzatione antica - Lo automòbile antico | - Ancient civilization - The antique automobile |
| Vèclo/Vèllîo | Old (Long-time) | Old (Old in age) | - Un vèllîo amico - Un hòmene vèllîo | - An old friend - An old man |
| Único | Only | Unique | - Lo único soprevivènte - Un artísta único | - The only survivor - A unique artist |
| Cèrto | Certain (Particular, an unspecified member of a group) | Certain (Something that will definitely happen) | - Un cèrto indivíduo - Una causa cèrta | - A certain individual - A sure thing |
| Puro | Pure (Sheer, mere, absolute, as an intensifier) | Pure (Naturally pure in quality or fresh) | - Pura curiositate - Lo àere puro | - Sheer curiosity - The pure air |
| Curioso | Curious (Strange) | Curious (Having a desire to learn new things) | - Un curioso objècto - Un púero curioso | - A strange object - A curious boy |
| Símplice | Simple (Common, humble, ordinary) | Simple (Uncomplicated or easy to understand) | - Un símplice agricultore - Una solutione símplice | -A simple farmer - A simple solution |
| Vero | Real (Important, genuine) | Real, True (An objective fact or reality, not fictional) | - Un vero problèma - Una història vera | - A real problem - A true story |
| Solo | Lone, One (One in quantity) | Lonely | - Un solo libro - La puèlla sola | - A single book - The lonely girl |
| Mesmo | Same | Self (Ex: himself, herself, etc.) | - La mesma persona - La persona mesma | - The same person - The person himself or herself |
| Pettitto | Small, Little (Small in an abstract sense or importance). | Small (Physically small) | - Un pettitto problèma - Una casa pettitta | - A small problem - A small house |
| Grande | Great (Great in degree or importance) | Big, Large (Physically big) | - Un grande artísta - Una casa pettitta | - A great artist - A big house |
| Bòno | Competent, Skilled (Good at something) | Good (Kind or having a good nature) | - Un bòn hòmene - Un bòn hòmene | - A good man (Competent) - A good man (Kind) |
| Malo | Incompetent (Bad at something) | Bad (Bad in character or evil) | - Un malo cocinario - Un hòmene malo | - A bad cook - A bad man (Evil) |
| Divèrso/Differènte | Various, Several (Multiple in quantity) | Different | - Divèrsos modèllos - Preferèntias divèrsas | - Various models - Different preferences |
| Nòvo | New (Recent, Latest) | New (Brand new, Unused) | - La nòva tecnología - Un nòvo carro | - The new technology - A new car |
| Pròprio | Own | Appropriate, Proper, Suitable | - Mèos pròprios òllîos - Un mètodo pròprio | - My own eyes - An appropriate method |
| Raro | Extraordinary | Rare, Uncommon | - Un raro exèmplo - Un tipo raro | - An extraordinary example - A rare type |
| Caro | Dear, Valued | Expensive, Costly | - Mèo caro amico - La televisione cara | - My dear friend - The expensive television |
| Qualonque | Any | Ordinary, Common | - Qualonque optione - Una persona qualonque | - Any option - An ordinary person |
| Macro | Meager, Scarce | Slim, Skinny, Thin (Physically) | - Un magro salàrio - Un hòmene macro | - A meager salary - A skinny man |
7.3.5. The Use of Adjectives With Adverbs
The adjective always directly accompanies the adverb, being placed after the adverb. The adverb and the adjective together must go after the noun, even if the adjective by itself could have gone before the noun.
| Un libro extremamente interessante | An extremely interesting book |
| Una decisione moralmente discutíbile | A morally questionable decision |
7.3.6. The Use of Adjectives With Noun Phrases
One must be certain whether the words constitute a compound word or just a string of words. All adjectives must either go before or after the noun phrase. They cannot go in between words that make up the noun phrase.
| Lo deficiènte sistèma educativo / Lo sistèma educativo deficiènte | The deficient education system |
Some cases of noun phrases are less clear. In such situations, the safe solution is to place the descriptive adjective before the noun phrase.
| Lo bèllo laco de lo amore | The beautiful lake of love |
| Lo principale gruppo de contròllo | The main control group |
That being said, in the first example above ("bèllo laco de lo amore"), it would not be completely incorrect to put the adjective immediately after the head noun, but rather, it would seem less natural. Given that we understand it as a new thing entirely, the adjective would go before or after, but more likely after, because the adjective is qualifying and emphatic.
7.3.7. The Use of Multiple Adjectives
Non-Restrictive Adjectives
If two descriptive adjectives with subjective or emphatic meanings are used, they are placed before the noun. They are separated by the coordinating conjunction "et".
| Vòstro húmile et leale servitore | Your humble and loyal servant |
Restrictive Adjectives
If two descriptive adjectives with objective meanings are used, they are placed after the noun. The adjectives are either separated with commas, or more commonly, with the coordinating conjunction "et".
| Una casa rossa grande | A big red house |
| Mòda bebé et infantile | Baby and children's fashion |
| Un hòmene alto et peluto | A tall and hairy man |
In the uncommon event that there are more than two adjectives with objective meanings, the first few adjectives are separated by commas, while the last adjective is separated using the coordinating conjunction.
| La empresa històrica, francesa et multinationale | The historical French multinational company |
Both Non-Restrictive and Restrictive Adjectives
If one of the adjectives has a subjective meaning (non-restrictive) and the other has an objective meaning (restrictive), the non-restrictive adjective will go before the noun (or less commonly, as the last adjective), while the restrictive adjective will go after the noun.
| Una bèlla fémena italiana | A beautiful Italian woman |
| Un delitioso plato francese | A delicious French dish |
| Un interessante libro rosso | An interesting red book |
| Hao tres bèllas camisîas lòngas et rossas. | I have three beautiful, long, red shirts. |
| Hao comprato un antico horològgîo suisso de auro. | I have bought an antique Swiss gold watch. |
7.3.8. The Position of One Adjective with Multiple Nouns
If the adjective goes before (subjective, or non-restrictive), it only agrees with the gender and quantity of the first noun.
| Soa habituale sapièntia et tolerantia. | His usual wisdom and tolerance. |
| Soos fantàsticos pensamèntos et opiniones. | Her fantastic thoughts and opinions. |
If the adjective goes after (objective, or restrictive), it agrees with the “common denominator” in gender and in quantity. This often means that the adjective is masculine.
| Las ròsas et los àrbores frescos. | The fresh roses and trees. |
| Los lacos et ocèanos profondos. | The deep lakes and oceans. |
| Carne bovina et pollo grillîatos | Grilled beef and chicken |