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Triangle Grammar Guide
Longtime N&O journalist Pam Nelson writes about language use and misuse and answers questions about grammar and style. Readers can weigh in on what annoys them, too. Think of this as your online grammar class. Send e-mail to Pam at pam.nelson@newsobserver.com.
Rules for word order
Submitted by Pam_Nelson on 08/06/2008 - 10:37
I ran across this Professor Grammar video on YouTube that explains the English grammar rule on word order for adjectives before nouns. The professor uses the acronym OPSHACOM for opinion, shape, age, color, origin and material. I have linked to the video below if you want to watch. Warning: It's corny and slightly annoying, but the lesson is good. The video lasts about six minutes.
Here is another site that explains adjective order and it has a practice quiz. And this About.com page on English as a second language uses a slightly different explanation for adjective word order.
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Pam Nelson
Pam Nelson began her career as a writer in 1976 and has worked in various editing jobs at The News & Observer since 1987. She has won awards for her headline writing and has taught college classes in copy editing and seminars in grammar and usage.
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Comments
OPSHACOM
Sat, 09/13/2008 - 07:38 — Anonymous (not verified)I think the idea is right, there are general rules to follow. But what is missing here is an F on the end, for "Function". If we look at Bronze Garbage Can Cover Hinge, then we have material, followed by the function of the hinge. This would be the same for engine oil, oil wells, baby shoes. Because of course, (I am sure in Italy), they have Beautiful box-like black leather baby shoes. So, lets just make it OPSHACOMF?
OPSHACOM has its shortcomings
Mon, 08/11/2008 - 06:42 — Pam_Nelson (author)This message points out the problems with OPSHACOM:
As useful as it is, the "OPSHACOM" rule for adjective order is not going to work for a lot of cases. I think the problem begins by classifying "leather" as an adjective, rather than a noun in adjectival position. In fact, most (if not all) nouns can function as adjectives. For example, you will not see the words "jug", "water" "cannon" or "cover" listed in the dictionary as adjectives, but they all can function as such: "water jug cover", "water cannon", "cannon cover" , "cover salesman" , "water cannon cover salesman", etc.
This failure to distinguish between adjectives, on the one hand, and nouns operating as adjectives (i.e. in adjective position), on the other, leads the Professor to propose a category of "adjective" whch he refers to as "material", in this case "leather".
Nouns in this position will not always refer to a kind of material. ".....leather shoes" are shoes made out of the material "leather", but "baby shoes" are, let us hope, not shoes made out of babies. There are countless other examples. "Oil wells" are not wells made out of oil, "engine oil" is not oil made out of engines, and "pretty large round gold ear rings" are not made out of ears.
To further complicate the problem, noun strings can be quite long: "bronze garbage can cover hinge". His OPSHACOM rule completely falls apart with this example. (For one thing, note that the so-called adjective of material, bronze, comes first in the string.)
Hope this adds to the fun (and confusion) of understanding English word order.
Stanley Munsat
Professor of Philosophy Emeritus
UNC Chapel Hill
Posted by Pam Nelson
Triangle Grammar Guide