languagelearning

Bosh bash bish

In a piece for the BBC, The Elements of Eloquence author Mark Forsyth examines a rare exception to the adjectival hierarchy: the Big Bad Wolf. Bad is opinion, and should therefore come first. However, as Forsyth points out, this phrase is too busy obeying another rule I’d never heard of: the rule of ablaut reduplication.

Other examples of the rule in action include chit-chat, singsong, flipflop and hip-hop. When you shift vowel sounds for effect this way, the vowels always follow a specific order: I, then A, then O. You’d think it was more complicated, that it depended on mood or context, but no, it’s that simple – bosh bash bish.

I don't speak my own backward pig-dog language.

◯

Unlike many laws of grammar or syntax, this one is virtually inviolable

I got a big ol' exception

This is true for most grammar rules in most languages tbh.

I just let ChatGPT write my adjectives

The big bad wolf would like a word

This is a general case but not true universally. When one trait is most vital or under debate it will go first , and when another is key to the identity of the object generally, it goes next to it. Although potato is not often included when describing French fries, it will preceed the adjective French on account of the vital nature of the French cut to the fries, and the material less important although assumed to be potato. For the prior, an orange big cat is easier to distinguish from any bug cat than a big orange cat, and if one asks for a round wheel, you may specify a rubber round wheel to ask if that is what they want.

i read that 3 times thinking you are an idiot because of course I can say “My big fat Greek wedding”… then it hit me

english must be a nightmare to learn