Pretty little language question.
September 26, 2009 5:35 PM Subscribe
What words, in addition to little and pretty, can have double meanings to describe both qualitative and quantitative properties?
For example, "little" can refer to the size of an object (my little pony), or to the amount of something (ye of little faith). Likewise, "pretty" can describe how attractive something looks (pretty in pink), but also modify the degree to which something is (these examples are pretty dumb).
Best answer: Liberal (professor; application of ointment). Conservative, same framework.
posted by rokusan at 6:01 PM on September 26, 2009
posted by rokusan at 6:01 PM on September 26, 2009
Your two examples don't describe exactly the same phenomenon. In the case of "little," it's being used as an adjective each time, with approximately the same meaning ("small") but slightly different usages (both quantitative, imho).
In the case of "pretty," you're talking about a word that can be used both as an adjective to modify a noun directly ("What a pretty doll!") and as an adverb to define the degree of an adjective ("That's a pretty ugly doll").
Could you clarify whether the adverb/adjective dual function is what you're trying to get at? Or are you just looking for adjectives with multiple meanings, like the ones rokusan suggested?
posted by Bardolph at 6:04 PM on September 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
In the case of "pretty," you're talking about a word that can be used both as an adjective to modify a noun directly ("What a pretty doll!") and as an adverb to define the degree of an adjective ("That's a pretty ugly doll").
Could you clarify whether the adverb/adjective dual function is what you're trying to get at? Or are you just looking for adjectives with multiple meanings, like the ones rokusan suggested?
posted by Bardolph at 6:04 PM on September 26, 2009 [1 favorite]
Nice
You are a nice person.
I put a nice handful of cheese on my plate.
posted by inconsequentialist at 6:16 PM on September 26, 2009
You are a nice person.
I put a nice handful of cheese on my plate.
posted by inconsequentialist at 6:16 PM on September 26, 2009
Dear:
My dear Robot Johnny.
We can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight if it's not too dear.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:44 PM on September 26, 2009
My dear Robot Johnny.
We can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight if it's not too dear.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:44 PM on September 26, 2009
Your two examples don't describe exactly the same phenomenon. In the case of "little," it's being used as an adjective each time, with approximately the same meaning ("small") but slightly different usages (both quantitative, imho).
In the second example, little can be taken to mean not much as opposed to small. An adverbial usage of little would be something like He spoke little during dinner.
posted by inconsequentialist at 6:46 PM on September 26, 2009
In the second example, little can be taken to mean not much as opposed to small. An adverbial usage of little would be something like He spoke little during dinner.
posted by inconsequentialist at 6:46 PM on September 26, 2009
Best answer: I don't really get the examples, either, for the same reasons as Bardolph. And inconsequentalist, "not much" is quantitative anyway. But regardless, if you just want "quantitative or qualitative":
Please give me some soup. Yummm, that's some soup!
posted by Flunkie at 6:57 PM on September 26, 2009
Please give me some soup. Yummm, that's some soup!
posted by Flunkie at 6:57 PM on September 26, 2009
Best answer: If you live in Massachusetts:
Wicked (adj.): evil..."a wicked witch"
Wicked (adv.): very..."I'm wicked hungry"
posted by emd3737 at 7:18 PM on September 26, 2009
Wicked (adj.): evil..."a wicked witch"
Wicked (adv.): very..."I'm wicked hungry"
posted by emd3737 at 7:18 PM on September 26, 2009
I was trying to point out that littleis being used in different ways in each of the examples. Small seems qualitative to me.
posted by inconsequentialist at 7:22 PM on September 26, 2009
posted by inconsequentialist at 7:22 PM on September 26, 2009
Petty. "Petty cash" for the "small" version. (Or "petty officer" for that matter.)
On the other side, there's "monstrous" which can mean "huge" or "grotesque".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:33 PM on September 26, 2009
On the other side, there's "monstrous" which can mean "huge" or "grotesque".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:33 PM on September 26, 2009
I think this is akin to "syntactic ambiguity".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syntactic_ambiguity
posted by Agamenticus at 8:18 PM on September 26, 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syntactic_ambiguity
posted by Agamenticus at 8:18 PM on September 26, 2009
Light - a light meal, in a room with a lot of light.
posted by birdsquared at 10:52 PM on September 26, 2009
posted by birdsquared at 10:52 PM on September 26, 2009
kind
posted by The Light Fantastic at 11:34 PM on September 26, 2009
posted by The Light Fantastic at 11:34 PM on September 26, 2009
and as an adverb to define the degree of an adjective ("That's a pretty ugly doll").
That's not an adverb. An adverb modifies a verb. 'Ugly' isn't a verb.
posted by pompomtom at 3:22 AM on September 27, 2009
That's not an adverb. An adverb modifies a verb. 'Ugly' isn't a verb.
posted by pompomtom at 3:22 AM on September 27, 2009
Best answer: As to the question at hand, there's loads. First one to my mind: "fairly".
posted by pompomtom at 3:24 AM on September 27, 2009
posted by pompomtom at 3:24 AM on September 27, 2009
Best answer: Process the substance to a fine powder. I feel fine after the explosion caused by the fine powder. Sadly, I will have to pay a fine due to my carelessness in handling dangerous reagents.
I think I'm still confused by the question.
posted by sciencegeek at 6:17 AM on September 27, 2009
I think I'm still confused by the question.
posted by sciencegeek at 6:17 AM on September 27, 2009
Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. (A thorough and authoritative source on the subject.)
Just (a just decision, just right)
In the slang to which I'm accustomed, lots of things that're traditionally adjectives can fill this role, especially when the adjective they modify is 'drunk' (silly drunk, crazy drunk, etc).
posted by sleepingcbw at 6:31 AM on September 27, 2009
Just (a just decision, just right)
In the slang to which I'm accustomed, lots of things that're traditionally adjectives can fill this role, especially when the adjective they modify is 'drunk' (silly drunk, crazy drunk, etc).
posted by sleepingcbw at 6:31 AM on September 27, 2009
Also, I feel super after eating a super-huge cheeseburger.
posted by sleepingcbw at 6:35 AM on September 27, 2009
posted by sleepingcbw at 6:35 AM on September 27, 2009
Best answer: Awful and terrible?
She did terribly/ She's terribly nice.
posted by alight at 8:09 AM on September 27, 2009
She did terribly/ She's terribly nice.
posted by alight at 8:09 AM on September 27, 2009
and as an adverb to define the degree of an adjective ("That's a pretty ugly doll").
That's not an adverb.
Then what is it?
An adverb modifies a verb.
Or an adjective or another adverb.
posted by Jaltcoh at 9:34 AM on September 27, 2009
That's not an adverb.
Then what is it?
An adverb modifies a verb.
Or an adjective or another adverb.
posted by Jaltcoh at 9:34 AM on September 27, 2009
Best answer: In the parlance of our times: stupid.
"Dave got a new job, and he's getting paid some stupid cash."
posted by jimfl at 9:44 AM on September 27, 2009
"Dave got a new job, and he's getting paid some stupid cash."
posted by jimfl at 9:44 AM on September 27, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by downing street memo at 5:38 PM on September 26, 2009