Adjective

       形容词

       A term used in the grammatical classification of words to refer to the main set of items which specify the attributes of nouns. From a formal point of view, four criteria are generally invoked to define the class in English (and similar kinds of criteria establish the class in other languages): they can occur within the noun phrase, i.e. they function in the attributive position; they can occur in a post-verbal or predicative position; they can be premodified by an intensifier; and they can be used in a comparative and a superlative form. Both narrow and broad applications of the term ‘adjective’ will be found in grammars. In its broadest sense it could include everything between the determiner and the noun, in such a phrase as the vicar’s fine old English garden chair; but many linguists prefer to restrict it to the items which satisfy most or all of the above criteria (to include only fine and old, in this example), the other items being called ‘adjective-like’ or adjectivals.

       在词的语法分类中用来指规定名词属性的一大类词。从形式的角度，英语通常凭借四条标准来定义形容词：能在名词短语中出现并充当“定语”；能在动词后或“表语”位置上出现；能受程度副词的前修饰；能用在比较级和最高级形式中。语法中使用“形容词”这个术语有广义和狭义两种。最广义的形容词包括限定词和名词之间的所有成分，有如the vicar’s fine old English garden chair“那个牧师的精致的英国老式花园坐椅”；但不少语言学家宁愿将形容词限于那些满足大部分或全部标准的词（上例中只包括fine“精致”和old“老式”），而称其余的词为“类形容词”或形容词性成分。