Exercise: Descriptions without adjectives.

[raphy]

Dear r,
There are a few thing we would all enjoy seeing you try.
MG

Dear MG
Please provide a list of such.

R.

 

[gauchecritic]

Hi, Gauche,
**Thread title: Exercise: Descriptions without adjectives. Must've misread it.

Do the words 'book', 'judging' and 'cover' mean anything to you?

Gauche

Oh yes, and it was my thread, I was the sole owner and it is the law, punishable by death or heavy fine any infringement of statutory rules [as laid down] that any and all contributions to same must take the form of examples of exercise convergent with the instructions actual, implied or otherwise, as stated in any opening post, however nebulous or un-intelligible.

 

[Angeline]

My Two Cents Doc

It's just semantics.

An adjective is a part of speech, but one can use a non-adjective to modify a noun. There is, in the Chicago Manual of Style-14th Edition (and plenty of other places, I'm sure) an utterly stultifying discussion of nominal and adjectival modifers and whether to hyphenate them and blah, blah, blah. If a word is being used to describe something, it's adjectival. (Actually, a few folks--'dita and Champagne, at least--said this.)

This is why, imo, it's better to think about meaning--how a particular word works in a particular sentence, instead of how it might be classified apropos of any context. There's a wonderful (well, if one can use that word in relation to Noam Chomsky, lol) example of a Chomsky sentence that demonstrates this.

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

I haven't a clue what that means, but it is grammatically correct.

Anyway, I thought Gauche's point was to write a history (or narrative, seemed to me) for a word, rather than a string of descriptors (i.e., say what something is, instead of what it's like). Either of those can have "adjectives," but they're still two different things.

We all asleep now? I'm leaving for the pub.

 

[raphy]

Re: My Two Cents Doc

We all asleep now? I'm leaving for the pub.

I'm coming with ya.

 

[Angeline]

I'm coming with ya.

When I start putting *myself* to sleep, I know it's cerveza time.

 

[raphy]

When I start putting *myself* to sleep, I know it's cerveza time.

What's cerveza?

 

[Angeline]

Beer. In Spanish.

 

[raphy]

Aaaaah, I see...

Raph, non habla espanol.. (see?)

 

[Angeline]

Aaaaah, I see...

Raph, non habla espanol.. (see?)

It's ok. I barely know it myself. If I try more than a few words, I make loads of mistakes and, worse yet, Lauren sneers at me. As a friend of mine says "I know three words in Spanish, and two of them are cerveza."

 

[Lauren Hynde]

LOL

 

[Guest]

Dear Gauche,
I think I get the idea now, esp. w/ref. to your use of ‘history’ (very nice phrase, btw, which calls to mind a literary reference which is not particularly relevant here so I won’t show off). I must say this is a difficult exercise and did not appeal to me at first but I took some pleasure in constructing the sample below, though I cannot call it a real history. (I am sorry your thread went awry and apologize for any part I took in the highjack.)

Much regard, Perdita
--------------------

I needs must take advantage of this wrap or be made self-conscious and possibly exposed to a discomfiture of observation given that I am expressly shy in public. However, I cannot say I do not enjoy or appreciate the attention it calls forth. It is actually a thing of some attractiveness when utilized, but the wire bits, though hidden, along with the necessary snug fit, produce some physical distress. Despite its intimate placement there is nothing pleasurable or in any way satisfying for merely wearing it. In fact, much pleasure and satisfaction can come from having it removed, or merely invaded.

It is all of a piece but does have individual parts that can be distinguished including a label that reads a formula composed of a letter and numerals. From experience I know that the significance of these symbols paired together can enhance the impression I make on men, possibly some women. Otherwise the main feature of the thing is named by a euphemism that names the container from which one drinks tea. If pressed I would suppose having my tea called hot and sweet would be the preference, and one might add creamy to it.

 

[champagne1982]

Through its crystal a myriad of reflections have shone, leaving an impression, as long as the curtain is open and the light's on. You need to wonder at the bit of chemistry that takes those photons and translates them into atoms that we make exist, merely through our observance. It rests there, on the shelf with other things, innocuous and out of film.

 

[gauchecritic]

In fact, much pleasure and satisfaction can come from having it removed, or merely invaded.

If pressed I would suppose having my tea called hot and sweet would be the preference, and one might add creamy to it.

Particularly liked these two bits. Very evocative and picture forming. Both parts are excellent first can be history (or as Asimov would have it: future history) and the second a very good departure into metaphor.


Champagne

Through its crystal a myriad of reflections have shone, leaving an impression, as long as the curtain is open and the light's on. You need to wonder at the bit of chemistry that takes those photons and translates them into atoms that we make exist, merely through our observance. It rests there, on the shelf with other things, innocuous and out of film.

Whoo hoo physics and history. This reads very rhythmically and looks like a poem. Did you feel a need to use the word 'film' at the end so we would be sure of what it was? Ignoring the crystal beginning I had it down as film anyway.

Nice work the pair of you.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

Nice work the pair of you.

To be trite - praise from Gauche is praise indeed. Thank you, sir.

Oh, I see, you were including Champers. *Blush*

Perdita

 

[BlueSkies305]

Mine's a pint of Guinness.

Mmmm. Guinness. No modifier required.

 

[Guest]

*deleted*

 

[candlesfyre]

runs for english book...

What the hell is a modifier noun and adjective???

yeap didnt even leave skid marks.....

Today was full of sunshine and people. People going about their business, skipping or plodding, matters not which, as long as they do it like Mama said; with a smile upon their face.

The best way to avoid adjectives (subject noun modifiers) is to go through your sample and ask "What sort of?" as you read. Such as:

What sort of? Today was full of What sort of? sunshine and What sort of? people. What sort of? People going about their What sort of? business, skipping or plodding, matters not which, as long as What sort of? they do What sort of? it like What sort of? Mama said; with a What sort of? smile upon their What sort of? face.

Now, if you answer the What sort of?'s with a descriptive modifier then you haven't successfully completed the exercise. So, if you go through IcingSugar's try, you will find that he does modify his subject nouns with other descriptive nouns thus failing to keep his prose adjective free, although, as Pure mentioned, "[sic] . . . hence you freshened up your prose."

Not one, but two ice What sort of? ages had passed over those What sort of? shores, dry-humping even the mountain What sort of? ridges into sumbission. And between What sort of? them, thousands of What sort of? years of winter What sort of? storms and salt What sort of? corrotion slowly bludgeoned every What sort of? rock and What sort of? pebble into baby-bottom What sort of? smoothness. But not this What sort of? stone. I picked What sort of? it up and tossed What sort of? it between my What sort of? hands. What sort of? Someone must have put What sort of? it there.