Template:Noun as modifier

• when there are consecutive nouns, i.e., one after the other (and are not a list or a possessive), the nouns are either multiple objects (one direct, the other indirect) or one noun is modifying the other
  • ex., "The pitcher threw the batter a hardball pitch"
    • S: pitcher V: threw IO: catcher ADJ: hardball (appositive noun) DO: pitch
      • could also be expressed as: "the pitcher threw a (hardball) pitch to the catcher"
      • "hardball" = a noun, but here it is describing the direct object "pitch"
      • thus "hardball" is acting like an adjective
• such nouns are called "attributive" nouns
• attributive nouns modify or qualify another noun
  • modify = change or add to the meaning of
  • qualify = limit the meaning of
  • attributive = provides an "attribute" or characteristic or quality to the other noun
• ex.: "dog food"
  • i.e.: "dog food" = "a type of food that is for dogs"
  • "dog" thereby indicates a type or characteristic of "food"
• the attributive noun is (almost) always singular
  • = because it is acting like an adjective, which always remains in the singular form ("red shoes" as opposed to "reds shoes")
  • = as a category or type, the noun must remain singular

click EXPAND for more on exceptions to the singular attributive and for synonymous terms: "appositive" and "adjunct nouns"

• exception for plural attributive nouns = special words such as "arms race" or "rewards card"
• possessive attributive noun:
  • ex.: "the National's game"
  • these are often morphed into plural attributive, thus "National's game" becomes "Nationals game", "reward's card" becomes "rewards card", or "lady's night" becomes "ladies night"
• multiple attributives
  • ex.: "beef dog food" or "
  • news headlines often use multiple attributives, such as "South Park man Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick dies again"
• other terms for attributive noun:
  • appositive
    • however, appositives may include a phrase (multiple words), whereas here we are treating the attributive noun as a single noun used as an adjective
    • see additional entry on appositive
  • compound noun
  • noun adjunct
• see:
  • Noun adjunct (wiki)
  • Nouns as Modifiers (meg.com)