4.5.4. Ordering restrictions among adjectives

The ordering of attributive adjectives denoting the semantic classes of color, quality and provenance does not show any restrictions. It is not possible, then, to identify an unmarked order of these adjectives.   

 

            Color / quality

 

 

a)      maria vase red old buy.    

‘Maria bought an old red vase.’

 

b)      maria vase old red buy.                           

‘Maria bought an old red vase.’

 

 

Color / provenance

 

a)      maria vase red japanese buy.

‘Maria bought a red Japanese vase.’

 

b)      maria vase japanese red buy.                  

‘Maria bought a red Japanese vase.’

 

 

Quality / provenance

 

a)      maria vase modern japanese buy.           

‘Maria bought a modern Japanese vase.’

 

b)      maria vase japanese modern buy.           

‘Maria bought a modern Japanese vase.’