The Secret Exception to the Secret Rule #linguistics #language #syntax #grammar #english

[luuketaylor]

Even as an English teacher, you just explained something that is genuinely new to me, and for that I am thankful. Think thank thonk you.

[therealelement]

f**k that, i'm just gonna put all my adjectives in the opposite order

[mystiquedarkholm]

Live, laugh, love
There is no other order I will accept.

[Kaydo_x]

This is one of those things you never think about, but once you do, it makes sense.
Fascinating video, as usual.

[emmahindle]

Perhaps the transition i-a-o is appealing because of the placement of the sounds within the mouth, transitioning from front to middle to back?

[finalscore]

"wibbly wobbly, time wimey, spacey wacey."

[ehsome]

When you said "old little lady" I didn't even register "old" as referring to the lady necessarily but as if there is this character "little lady" from old stories or such (similar to "good ol'"). Seems to be so implanted indeed

[Jackisacoolperson]

"My fat big greek wedding"
-etymology nerd, 2024

[wesleyh.]

My favourite example of ablaut reduplication is tiptoes. Fingers have tips, we call them fingertips. Logically the tips of your toes would be your toetips, but tiptoes sounds so much more fun

[utamari]

When the order is broken, I figure the adjectives closer to the word become a name or a common descriptor and the farther away ones become more specific.
the red rubber ball is a rubber ball that is red, there are many rubber balls, but I want the red one specifically.
The rubber red ball is a red ball that is made of rubber. There are many red balls, but I mean the one made of rubber specifically
The big bad wolf, there are many bad wolves, we specifically mean this one that is big.
The bad big wolf, there are many big wolves, we specifically mean the one that is bad

[melissad]

As a reading teacher for students with dyslexia, I was taught that this concept is a.k.a. - for the purpose of euphony - so that it sounds right to our ear and is easiest to say/produce. I love it!!

[Jackisacoolperson]

I did a cross criss in toc tic tac while listening to hop-hip, wearing flop-filps.

[EduardQualls]

It's always a good day when someone uses the word "ablaut, " and pronounces it correctly.

[danielb]

As Russian-first speaker (language where order of words is mostly arbitrary because they have endings referring them to other words) I just put whatever adjective comes to mind first first

[tacomaui]

this just enlightened me with a fat big greek load of knowledge

[fall.forever.]

helppp i love when he explains smth that i've used my whole life without realizingggg

[Jackisacoolperson]

Etymology nerd out of context guys having a field day with this one 🔥🔥🔥

[suneenough]

"Big bad wolf" is actually an example of adjectival order affecting the interpretation of an adjective. The "bad big wolf" would be interpreted as a big wolf of poor quality or standing, but by using the "big bad wolf" order, it becomes clear that "bad" is in the sense of "evil", which would be after the size verb. "small evil man", not "evil small man".

What category "evil" fits into is left as an exercise for the reader, but I advise you to look at where it's actually placed in the word order in daily use rather than basing your opinion on the prescribed adjective order.

[GarryBoyer]

Other well known onomatopoeias also follow this rule! Even Chinese ones like pingpong (乒乓) or pipa (the instrument) follow this rule.

[dallasjhaws]

Loved watching this new helpful great short!