8.1082, Sum: English adjectives

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LINGUIST List:  Vol-8-1082. Wed Jul 23 1997. ISSN: 1068-4875.

Subject: 8.1082, Sum: English adjectives

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1)
Date:  Tue, 22 Jul 1997 08:31:00 +0900
From:  <SGS03312 at niftyserve.or.jp>
Subject:  summary on English adjectives

-------------------------------- Message 1 -------------------------------

Date:  Tue, 22 Jul 1997 08:31:00 +0900
From:  <SGS03312 at niftyserve.or.jp>
Subject:  summary on English adjectives

Dear Linguists,

     About a week ago I posted the following query.

>I am working on English adjectives. Are the following sentences
>acceptable? If acceptable, please mark them with a check.
>If not acceptable, please mark them with a cross. If uncertain
>or dubious, please mark them with a question mark. Any
>comment is welcome.
>
>(1)  John was careful to lock the door.
>(2)  John was greedy to keep all the money to himself.
>(3)  John was worthy to be praised by them all.
>(4)  The place is convenient to visit.
>(5)  John is jealous that she succeeded.
>(6)  John was bored to hear her endless talk.
>(7)  John was confused to be told to do so many things at once.
>(8)  John was hurt to be insulted.
>(9)  I am eager that they should win.
>(10) John was incredulous that Mary put it into practice.
>(11) Mary is keen that we should go.
>(12) It was heroic of them to oppose the invader.
>(13) John was irresponsible to sabotage his duties.
>(14) It is significant that they worked as volunteers.
>(15) It is sufficient to give him some money.
>(16) It is not suitable to dress casual at a wedding reception.

     I have received 17 replies.  I would like to thank those who gave
wme answers and comments.  The following is the numbers of informants
who indicated respective acceptability in each sentence.

    acceptable    dubious/    unacceptable
                 uncertain
(1)    16            1            0
(2)     7            4            6
(3)     7            7            3
(4)    15            1            1
(5)    13            3            1
(6)     8            2            7
(7)     6            3            8
(8)     7            2            8
(9)    11            4            2
(10)   15            2            0
(11)   11            3            3
(12)   16            0            1
(13)    6            3            8
(14)   17            0            0
(15)   16            1            0
(16)   10            1            6

    Part of discussion and analysis of this data will be presented by
Professor Katsumasa Yagi (Kwansei Gakuin University, JAPAN) at the
24th LACUS Forum to be held at the University of York, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada on 2nd August and in his subsequent papers.

- ----------------------------------------
Atsuko Umesaki(Tezukayama College)
e-mail:SGS03312 at niftyserve.or.jp
       umesaki at tezukayama-u.ac.jp
- ---------------------------------------

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