| Language |
Value |
Contributor |
Comments |
|
=Hoan
|
Yes |
Chris Collins |
|
|
Abaza
|
No |
Brian O'Herin |
|
|
Acehnese
|
No |
Julie Legate |
|
|
Afrikaans
|
No |
Theresa Biberauer |
|
|
+
Agni indénié
|
Yes |
Amoikon Dyhié ASSANVO |
|
Words: kòfí́ lè klátà Gloss: Koffi Aux (avoir) livre Translation: Koffi a un livre. Contributor: Amoikon Dyhié ASSANVO |
|
|
|
|
+
Albanian
|
Yes |
Dalina Kallulli |
|
Words: Ky libër është i kuq. Gloss: this.NOM,M,SG book is agr(NOM,M,SG) red Translation: This book is red. Contributor: Dalina Kallulli |
|
|
|
|
American Sign Language
|
No |
Natasha Abner |
|
|
+
Amharic
|
Yes |
Girma Demeke |
|
Words: lɨğğ-occ-u tɨlɨllɨk' n-aččäw Gloss: child-pl-def big.pl be-3pl Translation: 'The children are big' Contributor: Girma Demeke |
|
|
|
|
+
Ancient Greek
|
Yes |
Richard Faure |
|
Words: Hē thḗra kalḕ éstai Gloss: ART-NOM.F.SG hunt-NOM.SG nice-NOM.F.SG be-IND.FUT Translation: The hunt will be successful Comment: Xenophon, Cyropaedia, 2.4.20 Contributor: Richard Faure |
|
|
|
|
Arabic, Gulf
|
Yes |
Dimitrios Ntelitheos |
|
|
Bajau, West Coast
|
No |
Mark Miller |
|
|
Bambara
|
No |
Bryan Villa |
|
|
Bardi
|
No |
Claire Bowern |
|
|
+
Basaa
|
Yes |
Paul Roger Bassong |
|
Words: malaŋ má yé ma-kɛ́ŋí Gloss: 6 onoins 6SM be.PRES AGR-big Translation: ‘The onions are bigs’ Contributor: Paul Roger Bassong |
|
|
|
|
Basque
|
Yes |
Karlos Arregi |
|
|
+
Bellinzonese
|
Yes |
Chris Collins |
|
Words: La Maria l=è bèla Gloss: the Mary she=is pretty.F Translation: Mary is pretty. Contributor: Andrea Cattaneo |
|
|
|
Words: Al Mario l=è bèl Gloss: the Mario he=be.PRS.3SG pretty.M.SG Translation: Mario is handsome. Contributor: Andrea Cattaneo |
|
|
|
|
Beng
|
Yes |
Denis Paperno |
|
|
Bengali
|
No |
Priyanka Biswas |
|
|
+
Bole
|
Yes |
Alhaji Gimba |
|
Words: (1) gam ye siri (2) gamshine ye asse Gloss: (1) ram DEF big (2) ram (PL) the big (PL) Translation: (1) The ram is big (2) The rams are big Comment: Bole has no copula that links the Subject with the predicate. Contributor: Alhaji Gimba |
|
|
|
|
+
Brazilian Portuguese
|
Yes |
Bruna Moreira |
|
Words: As montanhas são altas Gloss: The.F.PL mountain.F.PL be.PRS.3PL high.F.PL Translation: The mountains are high Contributor: Bruna Moreira |
|
|
|
|
Breton
|
No |
Steve Hewitt |
|
|
+
Bulgarian
|
Yes |
Ljuba Veselinova |
|
Words: Dəshterja-ta na Irina e xubav-a Gloss: daughter-DEF.F.SG of Irina be.3.SG.PRS pretty-F.SG Translation: Irina's daughter is pretty Contributor: Ljuba Veselinova |
|
|
|
Words: Deca-ta na Irina sa xubav-i Gloss: children-DEF.PL of Irina be.3.PL.PRS pretty-PL Translation: Irina's children are pretty Comment: Note that only gender and number are copied on to the predicate adjective from the subject; definiteness is not. Contributor: Ljuba Veselinova |
|
|
|
|
Burgenland-Romani
|
Yes |
Michelle McComb |
|
|
Burmese
|
No |
Timothy Ho |
|
|
Calabrian (Northern)
|
Yes |
Giuseppina Silvestri |
|
|
Catalan
|
Yes |
Txuss Martin |
|
|
Chalcatongo Mixtec
|
No |
Jess Combs |
|
|
Chichewa
|
Yes |
Sam Mchombo |
|
|
Chickasaw
|
NA |
Pam Munro |
Chickasaw does not have adjectives, per se, only stative verbs. Some adjectival stative verbs partially or fully supplete for number. |
|
Chol
|
Yes |
Jessica Coon |
|
|
+
Czech
|
Yes |
Pavel Caha |
|
Words: Ta žena byla unavená. Gloss: woman.nom was.fem tired.nom.fem.sg Translation: The woman was tired Contributor: Pavel Caha |
|
|
|
Words: Ty ženy byly unavený. Gloss: The women were tired.nom.pl Translation: The women were tired Comment: Set against the first example, we observe variation of the adjective depending on the number of the subject. Note that the particular agreement ending (-ý) is colloquial. The literary language would have -é on its place. Contributor: Pavel Caha |
|
|
|
Words: Ten chlap byl unavenej. Gloss: the guy.nom was tired.nom.sg.masc Translation: The guy was tired Comment: Set aginst the first example, this example shows gender agreement. The particular ending (-ej) is colloquial; the literary language would have -ý on its place. Contributor: Pavel Caha |
|
|
|
|
+
Dagaare
|
Yes |
Adams Bodomo |
|
Words: a miri e la wogi BUT a mie e la wogiri Gloss: def rope be foc long but def rope.PL be foc long.PL Translation: The rope is long BUT the ropes are long Contributor: Adams Bodomo |
|
|
|
|
Dholuo
|
No |
Hilda Koopman |
|
|
+
Digo
|
Yes |
Steve Nicolle |
|
Words: chitabu ni chi-ziho, meza ni n-ziho Gloss: CL7.book COP CL7-heavy, CL9.table COP CL9-heavy Translation: the book is heavy, the table is heavy Comment: The copula can also agree with the noun class to describe temporary states: chitabu chi tayari (the book is ready), meza i tayari (the table is ready). NB 'tayari' (ready) is an invariable adjective. Contributor: Steve Nicolle |
|
|
|
|
Digor Ossetic
|
No |
David Erschler |
|
|
Dutch
|
No |
Hilda Koopman |
|
|
Eastern Armenian
|
No |
Karine Megerdoomian |
|
|
Egyptian Arabic
|
Yes |
Arwa Rangwala |
|
|
English
|
No |
Chris Collins |
|
|
English (Singapore)
|
No |
Adam Chong |
|
|
Estonian
|
Yes |
Mark Norris |
|
|
+
European Portuguese
|
Yes |
Salvador Mascarenhas |
|
Words: Os meus filhos são felizes. Gloss: the.M.PL my.M.PL son.PL be-indiv-level.PRES.3PL happy.PL Translation: My children are happy. Contributor: Salvador Mascarenhas |
|
|
|
|
Ewe
|
No |
Chris Collins |
|
|
Farefari
|
No |
Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu |
|
|
Faroese
|
Yes |
Gunnar Hrafn Hrafnbjargarson |
|
|
+
Finnish
|
Yes |
Anders Holmberg |
|
Words: Talo-t ovat iso-t. Gloss: house-NOM.PL are big-NOM.PL Translation: The houses are big. Contributor: Anders Holmberg |
|
|
|
|
+
French
|
Yes |
Chris Collins |
|
Words: La fille sont belles. Gloss: DEF-DET.F.SG girl-F.SG be-PRS beautiful-F.SG Translation: The girl is beautiful. Contributor: Hannah Kim |
|
|
|
|
Frisian (West Frisian)
|
No |
Jarich Hoekstra |
|
|
Ga
|
No |
Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu |
|
|
galician
|
Yes |
Naír García |
|
|
Garifuna
|
Yes |
Pam Munro |
|
|
georgian
|
Yes |
Lea Nash |
|
|
German
|
No |
Martin Haspelmath |
|
|
+
Greek
|
Yes |
Arhonto Terzi |
|
Words: I Eleni ine adinati. Gloss: the-NOM.F.SG Eleni-NOM.F.SG is slim-NOM.F.SG Translation: Eleni is slim. Contributor: Arhonto Terzi |
|
|
|
|
Gungbe (Porto-Novo)
|
No |
Enoch Oladé Aboh |
|
|
Gurene
|
No |
Samuel Atintono |
|
|
Haitian
|
No |
Michel DeGraff |
|
|
Hakka
|
No |
Iris Wu |
|
|
Hanga
|
No |
Geoffrey Hunt |
|
|
Hausa
|
Yes |
Russell Schuh |
|
|
+
Hebrew
|
Yes |
Ur Shlonsky |
|
Words: ha-dgalim hay-u 'adum-im Gloss: the-flag-M.PL be-PST red-M.PL Translation: The flags were red Contributor: Ur Shlonsky |
|
|
|
|
Hindi
|
Yes |
Anoop Mahajan |
|
|
Hittite
|
Yes |
Mattyas Huggard |
|
|
Hixkaryana
|
No |
Laura Kalin |
|
|
+
Hungarian
|
Yes |
Anna Szabolcsi |
|
Words: Ez-ek a fekete kalap-ok rondá-k. Gloss: this-PL[NOM] the black hat-PL[NOM] ugly-PL Translation: `These black hats are ugly' Contributor: Anna Szabolcsi |
|
|
|
|
Ibibio
|
Yes |
Willie Willie |
|
|
+
Icelandic
|
Yes |
Jim Wood |
|
Words: Hann er spennt-ur Gloss: 3SG.M be.3SG.PRS excited.SG.M Translation: He is excited. Contributor: Jim Wood |
|
|
|
Words: bíllinn er rauð-ur Gloss: car.the.SG.M.NOM be.3SG red-SG.M.NOM Translation: The car is red Contributor: Jim Wood |
|
|
|
|
Iha
|
No |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Ilokano
|
No |
Jeremy Rafal |
|
|
+
imbabura quichua
|
Yes |
UCLA Linguistics 210 |
|
Words: wasi-kuna-ka jatun-guna-mi Gloss: house-pl-top big-pl-foc Translation: 'The houses are big' Comment: not clear that this is not 'The houses are big ones'.... Contributor: UCLA Linguistics 210 |
|
|
|
|
Indonesian
|
No |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Irish
|
No |
Bridget Nixdorf |
|
|
Iron Ossetic
|
No |
David Erschler |
|
|
Isbukun Bunun
|
No |
Iris Wu |
|
|
Italian
|
Yes |
Chris Collins |
|
|
Jamaican Creole English
|
No |
Tonjes Veenstra |
|
|
Japanese
|
No |
Chris Collins |
|
|
Jingulu
|
NA |
Rob Pensalfini |
|
|
Karachay
|
No |
Steve Seegmiller |
|
|
Kayan
|
No |
Ken Manson |
|
|
Khasi
|
Yes |
Gracious Temsen |
|
|
KiLega
|
Yes |
Kasangati Kinyalolo |
|
|
Kindendeule
|
Yes |
Deo Ngonyani |
|
|
Kiswahili
|
Yes |
Aggrey Wasike |
|
|
Kiyaka
|
Yes |
Lukowa Kidima |
|
|
Konni
|
No |
Michael Cahill |
|
|
Korean
|
No |
Chung-hye Han |
|
|
Kuot
|
Yes |
Eva Lindström |
|
|
Kurdish (Sorani)
|
No |
Yadgar Karimi |
|
|
Kusunda
|
No |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Laal
|
NA |
Florian Lionnet |
|
|
+
Lango
|
Yes |
Arwa Rangwala |
There is certainly reason to set up adjectives as a class separate from verbs even though they have many characteristics in common with verbs, more certainly than their English counterparts (Noonan 1992: 105). |
Words: ɲə̀ŋ dwôŋ Gloss: crocodile large.SG Translation: The crocodile is large (Noonan 1992: 104 ex. 3.) Contributor: Arwa Rangwala |
|
|
|
Words: ómɪ̀ttò dɔ̀kɔ̀ bɛ̀r Gloss: 1P.want.PROG become.INFIN good Translation: we want to be good (Noonan 1992: 105 ex. 4) Comment: Embedded under the want infinitive, the plural form bècò cannot be used, suggesting the presence of a singular PRO. Contributor: Arwa Rangwala |
|
|
|
|
Lani
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Lao
|
No |
Alif Silpachai |
|
|
Lebanese Arabic
|
Yes |
Lina Choueiri |
|
|
Lubukusu
|
Yes |
Aggrey Wasike |
|
|
+
Maasai (Kisongo)
|
Yes |
Hilda Koopman |
|
Words: torrono emuny Gloss: bad.acc.sg sg.fem.rhino.nom Translation: lit. A rhino is (in general) bad. Rhinos are mean. Comment: when used predicatively the case form (realized as a tonal pattern) is the unmarked accusative. This sentence can only have a generic reading. Contributor: Hilda Koopman |
|
|
|
|
Malagasy
|
No |
Ed Keenan and Laura Kalin |
|
|
Mandarin
|
No |
Arthur Wang |
|
|
Maori
|
Yes |
Ray Harlow |
|
|
Marshallese
|
NA |
Heather Willson Sturman |
|
|
+
Masarak
|
Yes |
Jessica Chen |
|
Words: indʒe-r kədi-dʒer je Gloss: dogs-PL big-PL COP Translation: ‘The three dogs are big’ Contributor: Jessica Chen |
|
|
|
|
Medumba
|
No |
KEUPDJIO HERMANN SIDOINE |
|
|
Middle Dutch
|
No |
Gertjan Postma |
|
|
Miya
|
Yes |
Michael A. Estrada |
|
|
+
Nahuatl (Central Huasteca)
|
Yes |
John Garcia |
|
Words: akostik-eh ne chichi-meh Gloss: yellow-pl those dog-PL Translation: ‘those dogs are yellow’ Comment: Certain predicate adjectives require pluralization (if they have a plural form) for number agreement. Language Consultant: Eduardo de la Cruz Contributor: John Garcia |
|
|
|
|
Nahuatl (Classical)
|
No |
John Garcia |
|
|
Ndut
|
Yes |
Daniel Morgan |
|
|
Nepali
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Nez Perce
|
Yes |
Amy Rose Deal |
|
|
Northern Thai
|
No |
Alif Silpachai |
|
|
Norwegian
|
Yes |
Marit Julien |
|
|
Nupe
|
No |
Jason Kandybowicz |
|
|
Nweh
|
Yes |
Hilda Koopman |
|
|
Okinawan
|
No |
Ken Hiraiwa |
|
|
+
Old English
|
Yes |
Steve Seegmiller |
|
Words: God hi gesceop ealle gode Gloss: God them ACC-PL created all ACC-PL good ACC-PL Translation: "God created all of them good Comment: In predicative use the adjective is not always declined Contributor: Willem Koopman |
|
|
|
|
One
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Palue
|
No |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
panjabi
|
Yes |
Gurprit Bains |
|
|
Papuan Malay
|
No |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
+
Pashto
|
Yes |
Taylor Roberts |
|
Words: dee tégi alek khwla wétsha wa Gloss: POSS thirsty.M.OBL.SG boy.M.OBL.SG mouth.F.DIR.SG dry.F.DIR.SG be.PST.IPFV.3SG.F Translation: The thirsty boy's mouth was dry. Comment: Tegey and Robson 1996: 86. Adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. Contributor: Taylor Roberts |
|
|
|
Words: dee tégo alekáano khwlee wétshee wee Gloss: POSS thirsty.M.OBL.PL boy.M.OBL.PL mouth.F.DIR.PL dry.F.DIR.PL be.PST.IPFV.3PL.F Translation: The thirsty boys' mouths were dry. Comment: Tegey and Robson 1996: 86. Adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. Contributor: Taylor Roberts |
|
|
|
|
Pima
|
Yes |
Marcus Smith |
|
|
+
Polish
|
Yes |
Barbara Tomaszewicz |
|
Words: Książka jest czerwona. Gloss: book-nom.sg.f is red-nom.sg.f Translation: The book is red. Comment: agreement in number, gender, and case Contributor: Barbara Tomaszewicz |
|
|
|
Words: Książki są czerwone. Gloss: books-nom.pl.f sre red-nom.non-v.f Translation: The books are red. Comment: Polish has 3 genders in the singular (masculine, feminine, neuter) and 2 genders in the plural ('virile' for masculine human nouns, 'non-virile' for everything else). Contributor: Barbara Tomaszewicz |
|
|
|
|
+
Romanian
|
Yes |
Oana Savescu |
|
Words: Fetele sunt inteligente. Gloss: girls-THE.PL.F be.PL intelligent.PL.F Translation: The girls are intelligent. Contributor: Oana Savescu |
|
|
|
|
+
Russian
|
Yes |
Stephanie Harves |
|
Words: Èti knigi interesnye. Gloss: these books.NOM.PL interesting.NOM.PL Translation: These books are interesting. Contributor: Stephanie Harves |
|
|
|
|
Salasaca Quichua
|
No |
Pieter Muysken |
|
|
Samoan
|
Yes |
Vincent Homer |
|
|
San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec
|
No |
George Aaron Broadwell |
|
|
Sandawe
|
Yes |
Helen Eaton |
|
|
Saramaccan
|
No |
Tonjes Veenstra |
|
|
Saweru
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Scottish Gaelic
|
No |
David Adger |
|
|
Senaya
|
Yes |
Laura McPherson |
|
|
Serbian
|
Yes |
Miloje Despic |
|
|
+
Shupamem
|
Yes |
Abdoulaye Laziz Nchare |
|
Words: pon pa nda tam tam-shi Gloss: children copula very tall tall-plural agreement Translation: the children are very tall Contributor: Abdoulaye Laziz Nchare |
|
|
|
|
Skou
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Slovenian
|
Yes |
Franc Marušič |
|
|
+
Spanish
|
Yes |
Chris Collins |
|
Words: María está enferm-a Gloss: M. be.PRS.3SG sick-F Translation: María is sick Contributor: Violeta Vazquez-Rojas |
|
|
|
Words: Juan está enferm-o Gloss: J. be.PRS.3SG sick-M Translation: Juan is sick Contributor: Violeta Vazquez-Rojas |
|
|
|
|
+
Swedish
|
Yes |
fredrik heinat |
|
Words: bilen är röd -- äpplet är rött Gloss: car.DEF is red.N-N.SG -- apple.DEF is red.N.SG Translation: the car is red -- the apple is red Comment: Predicative adjectives agree with the subject in gender and number. There is no agreement for definiteness, cf. property: A 01_Attributive Adjective Agreement Contributor: fredrik heinat |
|
|
|
Words: bilarna är röda -- äpplena är röda Gloss: car.PL.DEF are red.PL -- apple.PL.DEF are red.PL Translation: the cars are red -- the apples are red Comment: Predicative adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number. In plural, the forms look the same. Contributor: fredrik heinat |
|
|
|
|
Swiss German
|
No |
Cecile Meier |
|
|
+
Tagalog
|
Yes |
Edith Aldridge |
|
Words: Ma-ta-talino ang (mga) bata. Gloss: Pre-Red-smart Abs (Pl) child Translation: 'The children are smart.' Contributor: Edith Aldridge |
|
|
|
|
Taiwanese Southern Min
|
No |
Arthur Wang |
|
|
Tarascan
|
Yes |
Violeta Vazquez-Rojas |
|
|
Thai
|
No |
Peter Jenks |
|
|
Titan
|
Yes |
Claire Bowern |
predicate adjectives may receive person agreement. |
|
Tiwa
|
No |
Virginia Dawson |
|
|
Tlingit
|
No |
James Crippen |
|
|
Tommo-So
|
No |
Laura McPherson |
|
|
Tongan
|
Yes |
Hilda Koopman |
|
|
Triqui, Copala
|
No |
George Aaron Broadwell |
|
|
+
Tukang Besi
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
Words: Te ikita to-leama Gloss: CORE 1PL 1PL.R-good Translation: We're fine Contributor: Mark Donohue |
|
|
|
|
+
Tuki (Tukombo)
|
No |
Edmond Biloa |
In their predicative use, color adjectives themselves have additional morphology which makes them verbal: they show the regular subject agreement. Other adjectives cannot be used in this way but always modify a N |
Words: Putá a- mú akana okutu Gloss: Puta SM- is big woman Translation: Puta is a big woman Comment: The adjective agrees but it is not used predicatively Contributor: Edmond Biloa |
|
|
|
Words: putá a-mú osya *(okutu) Gloss: Puta SM- MU beautiful woman Translation: Puta is beautiful Comment: Beautiful/ big etc. cannot be used predicatively: the head noun is oblgatory Contributor: Edmond Biloa |
|
|
|
Words: onyeme ; wanga-(o+anga); orafa; ogira; opuma (etc) Gloss: to be beautiful; to be tall; to be black or dark; to be white (etc) Comment: Tuki also has some verbs that express ideas/notions that are semantically encoded by predicate adjectives Contributor: Edmond Biloa |
|
|
|
Words: mwana wáá a- rafa-ḿ Gloss: child his/her SM tall-INC Translation: his/her child is tall Contributor: Edmond Biloa |
|
|
|
Words: a. Putá a- mú fíítiti b. vakutu vá- mú fííititi Gloss: a. Puta SM-is back b. woman are black Translation: a. Puta is black b. the woman are black Comment: Color adjectives are postnominal, and never agree; they can be used predicatively (whereas the prenominal adjectives cannot not) Contributor: Edmond Biloa |
|
|
|
Words: a.matúwa ódzú a- mú púú b. vamatúwa ava vá- mú púú Gloss: a. this car is white b. cars these SM are white Translation: a. This car is white b. These cars are white Comment: white is invariant. Contributor: Edmond Biloa |
|
|
|
|
Turkish
|
Yes |
Murat Kural |
|
|
Tuvan
|
NA |
Brian Hsu |
|
|
Twi
|
No |
Cansada Martin |
|
|
+
Ukrainian
|
Yes |
Roksolana Mykhaylyk |
|
Words: cej portret harnyj Gloss: this.SG.M portrait.SG.M nice.SG.M Translation: this portrait is nice Contributor: Roksolana Mykhaylyk |
|
|
|
|
Vata
|
NA |
Hilda Koopman |
|
|
Vlaški-Žejanski-Istro-Romanian
|
Yes |
Zvjezdana Vrzic |
|
|
Wan
|
No |
Tatiana Nikitina |
|
|
Welsh
|
No |
David Willis |
|
|
West Flemish
|
No |
Liliane Haegeman |
|
|
Western Armenian
|
No |
Hrayr Khanjian |
|
|
Wolof
|
No |
Harold Torrence |
|
|
Yan-nhaŋu
|
Yes |
Claire Bowern |
|
|
Yawa
|
Yes |
Mark Donohue |
|
|
Yiddish
|
No |
Shannon Mooney |
|
|
Yoruba
|
No |
Johnson Folorunso Ilori |
|
|
+
Zulu
|
Yes |
Esther Park |
|
Words: Um-gwaqo u-banzi. Gloss: 3-road 3-wide Translation: 'The road is wide.' Contributor: Esther Park |
|
|
|
