Introduction to Modifiers
ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: ଏହି ବିଭାଗରେ ଆମେ ଶିଖିବା ଯେ କିପରି ଶବ୍ଦଗୁଡ଼ିକ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟକୁ ଅଧିକ ସୂଚନା ଦିଅନ୍ତି। ଏହି ଶବ୍ଦଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ 'modifier' କୁହାଯାଏ ଏବଂ ସେମାନେ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ପୂର୍ବରୁ କିମ୍ବା ପରେ ଆସିପାରନ୍ତି।
In English grammar, a Noun Phrase (ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ପଦବନ୍ଧ) is a group of words that functions as a noun. It typically consists of a head noun and words that modify (ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରନ୍ତି) or add extra meaning to it. These modifying words are called modifiers.
Modifiers can appear either before or after the head noun:
- Pre-modifiers (ପୂର୍ବ-modifier): These words come before the head noun. Examples include determiners (like 'the'), numbers (like 'five'), and adjectives (like 'red').
- Post-modifiers (ପର-modifier): These words come after the head noun. They can be phrases like 'in the pot'.
Consider the sentence: "The red flowers in the pot are beautiful." [[4]] Here, 'flowers' is the head noun.
- 'The red' are pre-modifiers.
- 'in the pot' are post-modifiers.
Nouns as Adjectives (Classifiers)
ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: କେତେକ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ଅନ୍ୟ ଏକ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ବ୍ୟବହୃତ ହୋଇ ବିଶେଷଣ ଭାବରେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରନ୍ତି। ଏମାନଙ୍କୁ 'classifier' କୁହାଯାଏ।
Sometimes, a noun can be used before another noun to describe it, effectively functioning as an adjective. These nouns are often called classifiers (ବର୍ଗୀକାରକ) because they classify or specify the type of the second noun. [[1]], [[6]]
For example:
- Instead of just 'hall', we can say 'cinema hall' (ସିନେମା ହଲ୍). Here, 'cinema' (ସିନେମା) is a noun but it describes what kind of hall it is.
- Similarly, 'television programme' (ଟେଲିଭିଜନ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମ) where 'television' (ଟେଲିଭିଜନ) describes the 'programme'.
Other common examples include: library book (ପାଠାଗାର ବହି), science college (ବିଜ୍ଞାନ କଲେଜ), steel chair (ଷ୍ଟିଲ୍ ଚେୟାର), apple tree (ସେଓ ଗଛ), car stereo (କାର୍ ଷ୍ଟେରିଓ), marriage procession (ବିବାହ ଶୋଭାଯାତ୍ରା), opinion survey (ମତାମତ ସର୍ଭେ). [[1]], [[6]]
Worked Example: Combine the nouns to form a noun phrase where the first noun acts as an adjective:
marriage+ceremonymarriage ceremonyriver+boatriver boatschool+bagschool bag
Position of Adjectives (Attributive Use)
ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: ଅଧିକାଂଶ ବିଶେଷଣ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ବ୍ୟବହୃତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି, ଯାହାକୁ 'attributive use' କୁହାଯାଏ।
Most adjectives can be placed directly before the noun they describe. This is known as the attributive use (ବିଶେଷଣାତ୍ମକ ବ୍ୟବହାର) of an adjective. For instance, in "a big house" (ଏକ ବଡ଼ ଘର), 'big' is an adjective used attributively before the noun 'house'. This makes 'big' a pre-modifier in the noun phrase. [[2]]
Order of Multiple Adjectives
ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: ଯେତେବେଳେ ଗୋଟିଏ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଏକାଧିକ ବିଶେଷଣ ବ୍ୟବହୃତ ହୁଏ, ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଏକ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ କ୍ରମରେ ରଖାଯାଏ।
When more than one adjective is used before a single noun, they usually follow an accepted order. This order helps to make the description clear and natural-sounding. [[7]]
The general order is often:
- Opinion (ମତାମତ):
nice,beautiful,wonderful - Size (ଆକାର):
little,huge - Age (ବୟସ):
old,new,medieval,ancient - Shape (ଆକୃତି):
round,triangular - Colour (ରଙ୍ଗ):
red,black - Origin (ଉତ୍ପତ୍ତି):
Indian,African - Material (ସାମଗ୍ରୀ):
wooden,stone,aluminium,copper - Purpose (ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ):
walking,dining
Worked Example: In the phrase "a nice little home" (ଏକ ସୁନ୍ଦର ଛୋଟ ଘର), 'nice' is an opinion adjective and 'little' is a size adjective, following the standard order. [[7]] Another example: "an old Indian wooden chair" (ଏକ ପୁରୁଣା ଭାରତୀୟ କାଠ ଚେୟାର) follows the order: Age (old), Origin (Indian), Material (wooden). [[7]]