= Adjective
An <adjective> is a <part of speech> characteristically used to express properties and modify <nouns>. It can also occur in predicative constructions, as in `The cube is red`. Its classification depends on its grammatical behavior, beyond whether its meaning sounds descriptive.<Universal Dependencies annotation guidelines>[ADJ, Definition, predicative use and Nouns vs. Adjectives]{ref}
In an original simple <formal semantics>, let red objects form $R=\{1,2\}$ and cubes form $C=\{2,3\}$. The expression `red cube` can denote the <intersection> $R\cap C=\{2\}$. This illustrates how an <adjective> can contribute a property to a <noun phrase>, while leaving the grammatical classification distinct from that particular semantic rule.
Modification alone is insufficient evidence for adjective status. In the <Universal Dependencies> scheme, a <noun> used to modify another <noun> in a compound remains tagged as a <noun>. Clear category criteria make <linguistic annotation> reproducible instead of treating every modifier as the same class.
Back to article page
