Am I unusual in screaming inwardly when I hear, "It was so fun"? In this instance, "fun" is a noun. "So" is an adverb. Problem. Inner scream.
Is fun not adjectival in that sentence, or am I confused? 'It was very bad'. 'It was vastly overrated'. 'It was so blue'.Am I unusual in screaming inwardly when I hear, "It was so fun"? In this instance, "fun" is a noun. "So" is an adverb. Problem. Inner scream.
Don’t be intimated by making béarnaise sauce.
Grammar Girl has an answer easier for me to cite than to restate it.Well, there you go. I'm outvoted. I guess the answer to my question is yes, I'm unusual. (still bugs me mumble mumble natter natter scream)
Some nouns often act like adjectives, some only do it sometimes, and others rarely or never act like adjectives. To make matters even more confusing, some words are both nouns and full adjectives....
Attributive Nouns Can Cause Ambiguity
Sometimes though, using the attributive noun or the adjective can cause ambiguity. Both “silk” and “wood” are nouns, full adjectives, and have the adjective forms “silken” and “wooden.” Sometimes “silken” or “wooden” is the best choice, and sometimes “silk” or “wood” is the best choice.
For example, if I talk about a silken blouse, I could mean a blouse that is made of silk or a blouse that just feels like silk. In that case, if it’s really made of silk, it is better to call it a silk blouse.
On the other hand, if I’m talking about a bench made from wood, it’s better to use the longer adjective form “wooden” and call it a wooden bench. If I called it a wood bench, you might think it is a bench for woodworking.
So as you can see, with nouns, attributive nouns, and adjectives, the choice is up to you (there’s nothing wrong with the phrase “wool sweater”), but you have to consider your words on a case-by-case basis and make sure your meaning is clear.
Nouns That Aren't Used as Adjectives
As a final aside, I also thought it was fascinating to consider nouns that are never used attributively. A few that Gove mentioned were “abyss,” “accomplice,” and "abdomen.”
Heard on the radio years ago, a teacher objecting to implementation of competency tests for teachers: "People don't think so but we're articulated here [in her rural town]...""I am in my 12nd year as an educator."
That was a good one....
Old WSS photos from various caves in Wisconsin curtsy of **** *****
...**** insisted there was no there, there.